


Skies were Wide Enough

by riverwood



Series: Skies Were Wide Enough [1]
Category: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain, Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Child Abuse, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Fluff, Foster Care, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, LARPing, M/M, Multi, Music, Panic Attacks, Past Child Abuse, Physical Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2018-12-18 02:53:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 38,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11865150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riverwood/pseuds/riverwood
Summary: From all the abuse and neglect this boy has received, Huck is scared and alone. He looks at himself as nothing but an unwanted foster kid who was taken away from his best friend when he was twelve, the only one who's ever uttered an "I love you" to him.Four years later, he's back in St. Petersburg, and back with the most important person in his life.





	1. Welcome Home

Right now Huck was trying to figure out every sort of way he could jump out of the moving car for his escape and not die, though dying was an acceptable option too.

Huck threw his face into his hands and wanted to groan from anxiety, his stomach trembling and heart pounding into his throat. He looked over at the social worker with pleading eyes, but all he got in return was a side glance.

The boy couldn't even remember the woman's name even though she was the only constant in his life at this point. He remembered it was something Iranian to go along with her accent and her dark complexion. She was the only person Huck felt didn't want him hungry on the street, and he couldn't even remember her name.

_Because it's her job, stupid._

This was his least favorite part of it all; the social worker having to drive Huck to a new home after the last one realized what a nightmare he was. The part where he has to hope that this family will be the one to call him son or sport and sign him up for baseball and take him for ice cream cones and care about him. Maybe this one. They always hoped.

Except Huck lost hope a long time ago.

He didn't even realize when the car lurched to a stop and his stomach twisted into even more knots that they were actually there. He wanted to cry or bolt away and make up some excuse to go hide forever. He remembered stories about runaways, and he thought about living in the wilderness where no foster parents or social workers were going to bother you.

"Huckleberry, they are waiting".

Huck knew he was close to throwing up all of the cheerios he had this morning, but he held it in so vomit wouldn't wreck the social workers dashboard. He felt his head spin in all directions with anxiety as he felt his fingers shake and tremor. Huck didn't think that was normal.

When he finally worked up the strength to stumble out of the car, Huck had to lean himself on the door for a few minutes to collect himself and any spare courage he could manage to find. The ebony haired boy realized this was his last chance to make a dash for it, but his legs carried him to the social worker despite his heart climbing into his throat.

"If you're feeling sick you can take an aspirin and lie down when you get inside", the woman sounded more annoyed than concerned as she massaged her temple ,"I figured you'd be used to this process at this point.

The words sting just like the tears wanting to spill from his eyes, though he took several deep breaths to prevent any sign of a break down. The social worker took his hand and began to lead Huck towards the house, no chance for him to run anymore.

To say Huck was impressed would be an understatement. The house was at least two stories and had a fresh coat of white paint with green shingled decorating the exterior. Every windowsill in sight had brightly primary colored flowers, with usually a little gnome or fairy statue for extra homeliness. Huck had to dodge the sprinkler that was watering the freshly mowed grass, wetting the white picket fence in the process. The real eye catcher for Huck was the car, though. A tuff looking 1964 Chevrolet Impala that shined bright red in the sunlight. He wanted to let his fingers glide over the hood, but snapped his fingers back when the social worker shot him a warning look.

_Don't get used to all of this. It never lasts._

"Knock, Huckleberry". He almost forgot the woman was there.

Huck took a deep breath and step towards the door, beginning to wrap his knuckles against the wood until he heard shuffling behind the door. No turning back now, he thought.

The woman who emerged from the door was nothing like the boy expected. She had a warm, young smile, but despite that she didn't look young. Huck assumed from her crows feet yet youthful grin that she was in her forties. Her long blond hair was tied up in a high pony tail, wisps of golden wheat drifting into her face. Her pale skin contrasted against the dark beauty marks that were adorned all over. It was her eyes that Huck couldn't look away from, though. They were strikingly blue, like a frozen ocean. Welcoming, yet intimidating.

"You must be Huckleberry Finn", the woman finally spoke ,"it's so great to meet you. I've been so excited all day for this".

_She's lying._

Huck let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding a forced a smile ,"t-thank you, ma'am"

"No need to be so formal, sweetie," the golden stranger laughed, taking Huck aback ,"I hope I'm not that old that I can be called 'ma'am' now. You can call me Ms. Douglas".

Huck wanted nothing more than to grab the social workers hand a sprint back to the car as fast as he could, despite the fact that he followed Ms. Douglas into her home with the social worker.

As soon as he stepped through the entrance, the boy knew someone like him didn't belong here. Every wall was decked with Monet and Norman Rockwell and other artists Huck couldn't name. The ceiling was so tall Ms. Douglas's voice echoed as she explained something that Huck didn't bother to pay attention too. A chandelier loomed over their heads and porcelain or china decorative pieces were places on almost every surface. He kept his head down and made a mental note to keep his hands by his sides.

The social worker took Ms. Douglas into the kitchen to talk to her in private, leaving Huck to sway back in forth awkwardly until he worked up the courage to sit on the all too expensive leather couch. He looked out the window and wondered if he should contemplate another escape plan to jump out and run, but stared at his bouncing knees instead. He knew a greasy kid like him didn't belong with this pristine woman and her house. Anyone with a chandelier in their home was too good for him, he thought.

Huck didn't even realize when Ms. Douglas entered the room until he heard the social worker close the door on her way out, not even giving him the time of day to say goodbye. When Huck looked up and saw the woman, his shoulders relaxed and he didn't have to force a smile in return. She had her golden hair down, letting it lay in a shining waterfall down her back. She took off her cardigan and was left in a gray t-shirt and baggy mom jeans and socks. A maternal glow came off of her, and she didn't seems so intimidating anymore.

"Would you like anything to drink, sweetie?" Ms. Douglas said through her impossible bright smile ,"or a snack?"

When he only shook his head in response, Ms. Douglas sat down next to him, causing Huck to tense and continue to stare at his knees.

"To get introductions out of the way I'll start," she began.

"My name is Ms. Douglas, and I live by myself here in St. Petersburg. I work as a lawyer and I write on the side, also helping out with the church on Sundays".

Huck kept quiet.

"The social worker tells me you used to live in St. Petersburg?"

He only nodded in response, still keeping his mouth shut.

"I understand you must be tired, so I'll show you too your room," she ran her finger through the wheat strands behind her ear, revealing dangling dog earrings ,"I want you to take your time, but I do hope to get to know you. Like I said, I'm so thrilled that you're here".

_She's lying again._

Ignoring the voice, Huck followed Ms. Douglas to the room he would be staying in. For him, the trek seemed endless, but Ms. Douglas thankfully never stopped chatting about some stuff Huck didn't understand, so that silence didn't find it's way in between them.

"Here you are, sweetie," she smiled and opened the door ,"I hope it's to your liking?"

Huck couldn't stop his mouth from falling open. He's never had his own room before, let alone something like this. There was a full sized bed in the corner with thick warm sheets and blankets atop. A bookshelf filled to the brim with everything from Hemingway to J.R.R Martin. Huck was even afraid to touch the desktop computer near the doorway in fear of getting his 'poor' on it.

"T-this is amazing," Huck finally spoke ,"thank you so much".

"It was the least I could do for you, sweetie", Huck's heart warmed at her words ,"I have clothes for you in the closet, but they might be a tad on the large side, sorry". The size of the clothes were the last thing Huck cared about, because he was so hung up on the fact that he actually had a wardrobe now. And a room that wasn't a walk in closet with that he had to share with someone else.

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. For now, I'm sure you need your rest," Ms. Douglas turned to go, but stopped in her tracks and whipped around ,"oh! I'm sorry, I almost forgot!"

Ms. Douglas reached into her back pocket and pulled out something Huck only dreamed about and almost got teary eyed just looking at it. A brand spanking new cell phone.

"I figured I'd get you one and put you on my plan," she held it out to him ,"don't be shy, it's yours now".

Huck could only shake his head vigorously ,"no no no, I can't. You don't have to spend such money on me, honest!"

Even still, Ms Douglas cupped her hands around his and placed the phone in them.

"Nonsense! A boy your age needs a phone, after all".

As he held the phone in his hand, Huck could only nod as she walked out, telling him to rest as much as he needed. His heart was still pounding out of his chest, but this was by far the nicest woman he has ever met.

_She won't last._

Huck mentally shushed the voice once more as he threw himself on his new bed, inhaling the musty smell from the old comforter and pillows. It didn't take much for his eyelids to feel like lead as he fell farther and farther into the blankets, and was finally able to sleep after all this time.

* * *

When he awoke to the sound of a door slamming, the sun was still high in the sky, Huck estimating it to be a bit after lunch time. He swung his feet off the bed and let out a yawn, stretching his limbs in every direction they could go. Huck let his head perk up with his eyes when he heard Ms. Douglas call to him, telling him someone was here to see him. He didn't know whether to be confused, annoyed or anxious, so he was a little of all three at the same time.

It was only until he heard the pounding of feet up the stairs that he realized where he was. He was back in St. Petersburg, where the only person who's ever given a damn about him lived. Only one person would visit him as soon as he came back.

The door busted open, revealing a boy Huck's age. His smile threatened to reach his ears and his brown eyes glistened with glee. He had gotten a lot taller since Huck last saw him, yet so had he. His fiery dark red hair was tamer yet still a wild mess, and the small amount of freckles still splashed his pale yet sun-kissed skin.

"T-Tom!" Huck finally managed ,"Tom Sawyer!"

* * *

_Boyish laughter filled the warm summer air as the two splashed in the river together. They were playing pirate, swinging sticks as swords and chasing each other all along the water with their clothes discarded. The one with the head of flames claimed he was the king of the pirates, and vanquished his comrade by tackling him into the water._

_When both boys emerged from the river they couldn't contain their laughter, and Tom grabbed Huck's shoulder and pulled him in close, walking out with him onto the shore. Tom declared he won, winning an eye roll from Huck and a jab to the ribs._

_They sat in silence for a moment, taking in the occasional breeze and fiddling their fingers in the dirt. Tom turned to Huck and showed him a toothy grin, if you can call it that with your front teeth missing. Huck smiled back and stuck his tongue out in the process._

_"You're my best friend Hucky, and that ain't never gonna change!" Tom declared and pulled his friend into a hug ,"I love you, Hucky!"_

_Huck laughed and playfully punched him in the shoulder ,"guess you're stuck with me, Tom!"_

* * *

Silence hung in the air for a moment, Huck's breath hitched as he felt a lump in his throat. His hands and legs began to tremble with realization and anxiety when he began to process who was in front of him. The only person he's missed this whole four years. The only person who's ever uttered an "I love you" to him. Tom Sawyer was standing in front of him and all he could do was stare in awe.

_Are you seriously anxious? In front of all people, why are you anxious in front of Tom?_

"T-Tom I-"

Tom cut him off, smothering him a hug tighter than a vise, almost squeezing the breath out of him. Huck soon melted into his touch, his anxiety diminishing until the feeling and voice were nothing but faint whispers. The ebony haired boy returned the affection, letting his arms wrap around Tom and grabbing onto his shirt.

Tom tried to sound serious, but failed with his giggly tone ,"Huckleberry Finn, you've kept me waiting to long!"

 

 


	2. Tom Sawyer makes an entrance

  _Tom Sawyer was eight when he first saw Huck being beat by his father._

_The boy strode his way down the dirt road into the woods, his baseball bat dragging behind him kicking up dirt. The weather had lied to him about what sort of day it would be. The sun painted the scene with blazing light, not a cloud in the sky to block it. He was convinced that today was going to be awesome, only a good day would go along with good skies, he thought._

_The broken-down cabin soon came into view, a familiar sight for Tom. Even for an old shabby house in the woods, it was in terrible condition, as if it was abandoned. Broken windows decorated the exterior along with chipped wood and shingles practically falling off. The grass reached Tom’s knees, aside from a rocky sand path leading to the door that was almost falling off its hinges. Tom hated coming here, he felt as if he was stepping into a warzone waiting to happen. It wasn’t far from the truth._

_Before he could even bring his fingers to his lips to give Huck the signal whistle, his heart grew ten pounds heavier as he heard a blood curdling scream. Tom felt white and cold all the way down to the bone, and didn’t take a second to take off towards the cabin, not caring how many rocks stuck in his bare feet._

_When he practically tripped into the house, he didn’t know whether he wanted to run or be the hero. In front of him was Huck’s father, reeking of booze in all his glory. The man was yelling his head off at a young boy cowering in the corner, spit flying from his mouth with anger. Huck had a hand clutching his mouth in pain, blood slipping through his fingers and dripping onto the floor. Before Tom could even react, the drunken man grabbed a fistful of his son’s dark hair and threw him against the wall. Huck let out a gasp of agony, his hand dropping and blood sputtering from his mouth along with his front tooth._

_Huck’s father raised his fist, showing off the bloody knuckles and swung, only to have his son duck and run towards his friend, almost throwing himself at Tom. Tom didn’t hesitate to take the opportunity, and grabbed Huck’s wrist as he bolted out of that god forsaken place, leaving the man’s howls behind them._

_Tom forgot how long they ran, but it was far enough for their feet were raw and their breath to leave them. He knew about what Huck’s father would do, and what would go on in that house, but seeing it with his own eyes was a different ballgame for him. The belligerent man’s fist still bore into him whenever the boy shut his eyes._

_The hyperventilating from behind Tom made him snap out of his thoughts, and turn his attention to his friend. Huck looked like a puppy that had been kicked too many times. His big dark eyes pleaded for safety and his fingers trembled from fear. Tom wanted to reach out and embrace him, but was afraid he would break at the touch._

_"Y-you could've gotten yourself hurt, Tom", Huck's voice was but a low whisper,"you're not supposed to go in my house"._

_At that, Tom crossed his arms across his chest, "was I supposed to let your daddy beat you?"_

_"Pap can hurt me, but I don't want him hurting you"._

_The fiery boy stamped his foot in the dirt, "he shouldn't be hurtin' anyone, Hucky! 'Specially not you!"_

_Tom didn't mean to shout, regretting it when he saw Huck shrink into himself. Tom was the only person Huck trusted enough to let himself be so vulnerable in front of him, and Tom really didn't want to lose that trust and privilege._

_Before he could utter out a full apology, he was cut off._

_"Let's just get out of here. Want to stay away from here, y'know?" Huck tried to smile, but it didn't look as endearing with his front tooth missing, “we should go practice some swings with that bat of yours"._

_There was still misery and tears in his eyes, but it was clear Huck just wanted to forget. He was going to put up his usual facade of joy and pretend that he wasn't living in a constant panic attack._

_Even though he wanted to press more to help his friend, Tom gave in and swung the bat over his shoulder and faked a grin,” sure, buddy"._

* * *

 

Tom took every chance he could get to visit Huck. He figured being back after four years wasn’t as easy as the kid was letting on. Ms. Douglas seemed relieved someone was giving Huck the time of day, telling Tom the only time she would see the boy smiled was when he came over.

Despite the awkward tension of lost time in-between, the boys, Tom couldn’t ignore the warm glow in his chest whenever he saw his childhood crush.

“When are you gonna come to school, Hucky?” Tom leaned forward with the question,” I got these great friends you gotta meet! It’d be awesome to be in class with you too”.

Huck tensed up his shoulder and rubbed his neck,” In a few days, Wednesday I think”.

“You excited?”

His head shook, sending his messy hair wild, "I honestly just want to stay here, pretend I don’t exist and everyone else can do the same”.

Tom couldn’t help but chuckle at that, “Most of the people at my school are fine”.

“I’m not”, mumbled up from Huck.

When he couldn’t decipher what Huck was trying to put out there, Tom shrugged his shoulders and fell back against the floor with a sigh, “I’ll be there with you, if that makes it better”.

Tom couldn’t believe when he thought he saw Huck’s cheeks glow a pink tinge with blush, so he didn’t as he rubbed his eyes. He couldn’t help but think how endearing his friend looked with the red rouge and puppy eyes. Real charming, he pondered. Old thoughts resurfaced, while Tom just shushed them.

"Did you miss me, Huck?" the question seemed obvious, but Huck seemed different from his childhood years. More quiet, more reserved, and more afraid. 

Huck seemed to think it was a silly question too, "o-of course" he stuttered out, "everyday".

Tom smiled a smile that could melt snow, “me too, Hucky, me too".

* * *

 

Soon after Tom left, Ms. Douglas called Huck into kitchen for supper, and found such a domestic scene. Ms. Douglas boiling potatoes and radishes, the table set with a farmer style cloth and two dinner sets. The boy didn't know if the setting made him at ease or uncomfortable.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when Ms. Douglas spoke up.

"Tom seems nice. When did you meet?"

Huck shifted back and forth on his feet, trying and failing to seem less awkward ,"for as long as I can remember, I think".

Ms. Douglas grinned and began dumping all sorts of cookings onto Huck's plate, leading him to the dining table. The last few days Huck felt like he was eating the feast of a king, like a smorgasbord. Every night he wasn't worried about going to bed with his belly aching for food like he was used to. 

_You know you don't belong here._

The voice went quiet as Huck tuned in on Ms. Douglas.

"Are you excited for school, Huckleberry?", she asked, patting the remnants of vegetables off her lips.

His mind went back to his conversation with Tom, and how he clearly worried him so he lied ,"mhm. Can't wait".

She seemed joyed to hear that ,"good. Did you go to school much when you lived here before?"

Huck almost choked on his food at the mention of his time before foster care, and he felt his throat tightening up. He didn't want to tell her about how much he skipped school and how much he flunked classes, or how sometimes he couldn't even get to school because he was beaten so badly he couldn't show his face to others. He couldn't bring himself to tell her that she's sheltering an idiot. So he lied again. He told her how much he loved coming to school, and how much he loved learning. The idea of Ms. Douglas regretting bringing in a dumbass terrified Huck to the point of lying straight to her face.

_Pathetic._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the lack of events, I needed to get this slow chapter out of the way. I would like to thank everyone that commented on the last post, it warmed my heart so much! And a thank you t everyone who read and left a kudos.  
> Have a wonderful day!


	3. First Day of School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Huck's first day of school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: Panic Attacks

His shoes were big and clunky on his feet, looking cartoonish as he shifted in the front seat of Ms. Douglas’s Impala. Huck had always dressed himself, but Ms. Douglas insisted on helping him plan out his outfit for the first day of school. The woman dressed him in a loose fitting black t-shirt that hung around the pair of baggy jeans that would be around his ankles if not for the belt. His hair was brushed and washed, but still stuck unkempt under the baseball cap Ms. Douglas had him put on. The boy had never felt so orderly in his entire life.

Huck’s heart sank when Ms. Douglas pulled up to the high school, plummeting into his stomach beating a million miles an hour. He thought the building was way to huge to be in such a piddling town, lavish too. Compared to the quaint community, this seemed like a beacon calling for attention. It made Huck small in comparison.

“Are you going to be okay, sweetheart?”, Ms. Douglas drew him from his panic with the question. Her tone sounded soft and sweet, almost motherly. His nerves cooled and heart warmed at being called sweetheart.

“I’ll be alright, no need to fret,” Huck flashed her his most convincing grin to try and lead her away from worrying.

Ms. Douglas sighed and brushed Huck’s stray strands of hair out of his face,” call me if you need anything, okay?”

Huck nodded, wanting to end the conversation and just get it all over with. He knew it wasn’t fair for Ms. Douglas, but her maternal warmth and kindness was foreign, and he couldn’t tell if he liked it or not.

Maneuvering through the crowds of seemingly endless teenagers, Huck made his way for the entrance, hoping to find a familiar face. The thought of Tom made school seem bearable. A grin creeped onto his lips as he hurried his steps excitedly.

When he reared a corner, the russet young man came into Huck’s view. Thumbs jammed in his pockets and hair disheveled, Tom gave off a sunny persona that seemed to brighten up the room. He was cladded in a white casual button down, tucked into slim fit khakis with brown dress shoes. The boys mischievous act decked with charming clothes made him look stunning. Almost beautiful.

Tom spotted Huck, his grin growing and motioned him over. Huck strode towards, noticing Tom was with two others. The friends he talked about, he thought. One was a sweet looking girl, her strawberry blond hair tied up high in a blue bow and adorned with a modest looking dress. The other was a pale lanky boy with combed dirty blond hair, dressed in black jeans and a Law and Order t-shirt. The two seemed like quite the pair.

“Hucky!” Tom cheered, wrapping his arm around Huck’s shoulder and bringing him in. It was a small gesture, but Huck liked it a lot.

“You got your schedule, right? Can I see?” Tom eagerly bounced on the balls of his feet as Huck handed him his class roster. It only took a second for Tom to practically whoop with glee when he saw matching classes.

“Oh! I almost forgot” the copper hair boy gestured towards the two others with a smile, “these are the friends I was telling you about!”

Huck nodded, trying to look them in the eye but averted his stare. They seemed above him, better than a boy like him. He wasn’t looking forward to being under anyone else, even if he was used to it.

_It’ll always be that way, dumbass._

The girl spoke up first, distracting him from the voice in his head, “I’m Becky, Becky Thatcher”, her voice was sweet like honey, having the end of Huck’s lips curl up,” It’s a pleasure to meet you, Huck. Tom never stops talking about you”.

She laughed at the blush that creeped onto Tom’s cheeks as he rubbed his neck in embarrassment,” aw, shush it, Becky”.

“I’m Joe Harper” the other boy introduced himself, sticking his hand out which Huck reluctantly shook, ”good to meet you”.

“I-I’m Huck Finn, but I guess you know that” Huck let out a nervous laugh and felt like the room was getting hotter by the minute.

Tom squeezed Huck’s shoulder tighter and rested his head against his, ”don’t worry, I’ll make sure your first day isn’t hell”.

* * *

 

 Huck had gone most of the day without running away so no one would see him have a breakdown, which was progress.

It was almost the end of the day, and the boy was eager to get home and take a long-deserved nap, but he still had to survive one more class. All the others he tried his best to stay focused on what the teacher was droning on about, but in the end, he understood little to none. Huck wanted to be a good student and show Ms. Douglas he wasn’t a disappointment who she’d regret taking in, honest he did, but he felt like no matter how hard he reads the words and numbers he doesn’t understand he’ll never be good enough. In his eyes, he’s a moron.

Chanting the word idiot over and over again in his head, Huck didn’t notice the girl next to him trying to get his attention, who eventually resulted into throwing balls of paper at him.

“Earth to new kid, you there?” she snickered. Huck tried deciphering whether it was friendly or condescending. He decided on the latter.

She smirked when he looked up at her, revealing bright pink braces. Huck thought she was pretty enough, with long dark brown hair with baby bangs. Her eyes were a shining gold color, like a lions. Huck thought they were intimidating, maybe startling too.

“Y-yeah, sorry”, Huck took a shaky breath and tried to look her in the eyes with little success, ”I’m Huck”.

“Oh, I know your name”, her tone was crude, sending Huck’s heart into doing backflips, ”how drunk was your daddy to name you Huckleberry?”

It felt like a truck had hit Huck straight on in the gut, and he almost fell out of his chair. Huck stared at her in disbelief and misery, not believing the audacity she had. He looked down at his hands and realized he was shaking, his fists clenched and his knuckles white. Whipping his head around, he desperately looked for Tom with pleading eyes, but didn’t waste time as he rushed his way towards the door.

Huck ran towards the nearest broom closet he could find and slammed himself in there, letting the tears stream in rivers down his cheeks. His breaths were quick and uneven, making him feel like he was suffocating. Huck couldn’t help himself as he repeatedly started punching and kicking the wall, crying and choking on his own emotions. He eventually just quietly sobbed, falling back against the wall and sliding to the floor in defeat.

Sometimes he felt like he could still smell the booze on his father breath. Huck would look at the scars he had and for a second he felt the pain, and it all came rushing back to him. He still saw his father’s bloodshot eyes when he closed his own, and heard his voice constantly tearing him down, reminding him what a useless piece of shit he was. Just the thought of the bastard made Huck want to throw up. Throw up like his father did every night after a session of downing burning liquor. Cry like his father did whenever he wasn't intoxicated. Punch and kick whenever pap saw his son. Like father like son.

It didn’t seem like a long time that he was sitting in a pool of anxiety, hyperventilating in the corner. The kid almost yelped when he saw the door open, only to eventually see Tom kneeling beside him, running his fingers through Huck’s ebony brown hair.

“Breath, Huck” Tom’s voice was barely a whisper, ”look at me, and just breath. Don’t look away”.

Lifting up his head, Huck looked Tom in the eyes and tried to control his breathing. Tom reached out and grabbed his friends hands and intertwined their fingers, and led Huck’s hand to his chest.

“You feel my heart beat, Huck?” Tom’s chest was warm under his fingertips, ”I’m here. My heart is beating, you know I’m here. Don’t forget that, and don’t stop looking at me”.

Huck couldn’t figure out why this was working, but he wasn’t going to start complaining. His breathing soon was as steady and quiet as Tom’s, earning a smile from his friend. Tom pulled him into a hug, and the shaken boy gladly accepted, almost melting into his touch.

“You think you’ll be okay now?” Tom’s voice was a murmur through Huck’s hair.

I’m okay right here, he thought, but didn’t say it out loud. Huck shrugged and rested his forehead against Tom’s shoulder. He knew this school would be absolute hell for him, but right now, he felt good with Tom around him.

“M’sorry Huck” the copper boy mumbled against Huck’s hair, ”I told you today would be good, but it wasn’t”.

“Don’t go blaming yourself for my stupid emotions, Tom Sawyer, it ain’t anyone’s damn fault but mine”.

The two sat in silence for bit, gripping onto each other as if for dear life, until Tom shifted out of the embrace and looked at Huck, his eyes unreadable until the edges of his mouth curled into a grin.

“You’re going to come for a sleep over at my place Friday”, it wasn’t a question, more like a declaration.

“Okay”.

“And it’ll be fun”

“Okay”.

“And you’ll love it-“

“Tom” Huck cut him off ,”no need to convince me, I want to hang out with you”.

Both boys ignored the blush painting their faces and helped each other up, deciding to grab their back packs before the bell rings and teenage rush hour begins.

Huck thought today sucked, but looking at Tom, decided it sucked a little less.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everybody! I would just like to say how grateful I am for everyone's comments, each one has made me so happy and gave me so much motivation for writing. I was in a writing slump for about a year, but I'm so happy to get out of that.  
> I believe Huck's dad would trigger him to have an episode like that, because the pain is still fresh in his mind. I think it's definitely something that would trigger a panic attack.  
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope you have a wonderful day!:)


	4. Nightmares and Study Sessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Chronic Nightmares (PTSD)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the chapter came out a bit earlier than usual, but I finished ahead of time and couldn't wait to put it out there. Enjoy!<3

_It only took 6 months for Huck’s first foster family to be rid of him._

_From an outsider’s perspective, that family looked like they could’ve come straight out of a dollhouse. Blond hair, blue eyes, and a white bread life style made them seem paradisiacal. So, when Huck first stepped foot in the seemingly palace like house, their balance was thrown off._

_Huck was forced to share a room with their son, a tow-headed teenager about his age. The golden child like him didn’t want a greasy kid like Huck anywhere near him._

_It took only a few weeks for the boy and his sister to plant their alcohol on Huck to get him in trouble, and only a month for Huck to become a pariah in the household. Every day the siblings harassed him to no end; putting cigarettes out on him and leaving scars, getting him in trouble every which way, and making sure he hated himself even more than he already did._

_It was one of the last nights Huck would spend with this family, and he was spending it with his face shoved in his pillow trying to forget everything. That night at dinner the father was screaming his head off at him because of something he didn’t do. Something about a carton of cigarettes under his bed, he didn’t know, all he saw was a man screaming his head off at him and reminding him of everything he wanted to forget._

_He didn’t realize their son came into the room until he started berating him, calling him a coward and anything that would bring tears to Huck’s eyes_

_It took everything Huck had to speak up, “w-why are you doing this to me? I didn’t do anything to you!”_

_The blond boy snickered,” you come into my room and my family and act like you haven’t done anything? Don’t be a dumbass”._

_“I didn’t choose this!”_

_“Did you choose to be a little bitch?”_

_Huck immediately shut his mouth at that, hanging is head low in shame. He wanted to think that the boy was wrong, that he was good enough to be here, but all that filled his head was self-hatred and insecurities._

_“My parents have been talking about being rid of you, Huckleberry. Sayin’ you cause to much trouble”, the straw boy remarked with a smirk that could cut into Huck’s heart._

_Huck wanted to be smart, to shoot something equally as hurtful right in the kids face, but his heart felt like it crawled into his throat and choked him up. All he could do was sit in a puddle of embarrassment and hatred._

_Before leaving, the other kid called him by his usual nickname; ‘foster trash’. Huck threw his face back into his pillow and let out a scream, thrashing his arms and legs as he let out ugly sobs. He hated being here, he hated himself, and he hated everyone. Huck cried until he nothing could come out of his throat and his eyes were sore from crying._

_Tom Sawyer can’t save me now, he thought._

Ms. Douglas snapped herself awake when heart stopping screaming could be heard all throughout the house. Her mind raced with a crushing phobia as she raced down the halls in in only a night gown and bare feet. She doesn’t remember the last time she was praying so hard for someone’s safety.

Practically throwing herself into Huck’s room, she found a sight that made her breath leave her and her blue eyes to suffer. The boy had his face clenched in pain as he thrashed and screamed in his sleep, yelling until it seemed his throat was raw and his face was soaked from tears. She had never seen a boy look so helpless before.

Ms. Douglas gripped onto Huck’s shoulders and began shaking him with every bit strength she had, trying with all her might to pull him out of his nightmare. She didn’t realize she began to cry as well.

“Huckleberry!” she hollered almost as loud as the boy,” Huckleberry wake up!”

Huck’s sobs turned to gasps and chokes when his puffy eyes shot open, whipping up in bed and throwing his head down. The look on his face was terror-stricken, seeming paler than normal and caked with sweat. By maternal instinct Ms. Douglas grabbed the trash bin by the bed and let Huck be sick into it, trying to rub soothing circles into his back in the process. All she wanted to do was hold him and take him away from whatever seemed to follow him into her home, but he shuddered away from her embrace. The woman felt a barrier between the two of them, and Huck kept adding more bricks to it.

“I-I’m sorry,” Huck was hyperventilating into his hands,” I’m so sorry”.

“Don’t be sorry” Ms. Douglas’s voice was soft as she continued rubbing his back,” don’t be sorry…”.

Huck shook his head when she asked if he wanted to talk about it, or even sleep in her room. The golden woman thought it was what he needed, but if he didn’t want it she wasn’t going to push anything. She ran her fingers through his hair until his eye lids grew heavier, and she let him sleep by himself, vowing to herself she would break down the wall in-between them.

* * *

 

It had been a while until Huck had a smile that reached ear to ear that he couldn’t stop even if he tried, though the bags under his eyes from last night said otherwise. The school bell had rung and Tom slung an arm around his shoulder, guiding him out the doors and down the street for his house. Huck couldn’t remember the last time Tom and him had a sleep over, but he remembers the sleepless nights of sneaking out towards his treehouse and filling the darkness with giggles and ghost stories. Just the thought of it had Huck’s heart glowing with a comforting warmth.

Huck didn’t mind that Joe and Becky were tagging along just to do homework, though the idea of being alone with Tom seemed more enjoyable. Nonetheless the two seemed fun and sweet, even if they intimidated the boy. Becky’s honey like voice could soothe a head ache, and as much as Huck wanted to like her he couldn’t understand why he was jealous of her, or why he felt envious when she was around Tom. Joe’s constant smart ass tone made it impossible not to laugh around him, even if Huck was anxious around them.

Tom’s house was just as Huck remembered it, old and worn, but still spotless from anything that indicated mess. Everything in the home seemed older than the kids were, as if touching anything would cause it to break. It reminded him of a more Victorian style Douglas house.

“Just like you remember, right?” Tom asked with a cheeky smile, getting Huck to nod in response with the same facial expression. With that, the fiery boy led his friends through the house to his bedroom.

Huck thought Tom’s room wasn’t touched by time. The same box of marbles and geos was stuffed in the corner along with his signature race car track. Posters of bands like Rush and Journey hung above the twin size bed and bookshelf, which was filled with every sort of fantasy novel imaginable. Huck remembered sneaking into this room, trying to avoid Tom’s aunt, and playing with toy race cars and marbles all night.

Joe tapped on Huck’s shoulder, startling him,” how much homework do you have?”

“Um…” Huck swiftly through off the new book bag Ms. Douglas had given it and began to dig through its clutter,” just to read from _To Kill a Mockingbird_ ”.

“Oh, I love that book!” Becky spoke up, and Tom agreed with her, “I could help you out if you’d like”.

Huck didn’t want to admit he wasn’t a strong reader, that when he looked at the pages of a book the letters flipped and everything was incoherent jumbles. He wasn’t illiterate, but looking at the written word made him feel dumb and inadequate.

“Yeah, help would be good,” Huck gave Becky a sly grin in response.

Tom shuffled closer to where Huck sat and snatched the schools book from his bag,” I’ll read it to you! I love this book and I’ll make sure you do too!”

When he didn’t even get a chance to respond, Huck accepted the events and sat back, listening to the words dribble out of Tom’s mouth one by one. Tom had read to him before, years ago, but Huck had forgotten how comforting it was; to have Tom leaning against going on and on about his beloved fictitious stories.

Soon the book was closed and Tom shoved it back in the book bag, turning to Huck afterwards, “what did you get from that?”

Huck scratched the back of his neck and thought,” the person speaking has a dad named Atticus and a brother named Jem, and they live in the Great Depression?”

A thin smile formed on Tom’s lips,” that’s right,” and Huck sighed in relief.

After watching the others finish up the homework the honors classes gave them, Huck tapped his fingers on his knees anxiously as he awaited if anything else would happen. He doesn’t remember if he’s ever hung out with a group before, but right now the experience felt foreign.

“So, Huck”, Joe broke the silence,” what do you like to do for fun?”

“F-fishing, if I can. Or baseball, since Tom and I used to play,” Huck didn’t mean for his voice to be so shaky, “y-you?”.

The three friends shared smiles to each other, though Huck couldn’t understand why until Tom ran to his closet and pulled out a box of everything Huck couldn’t make heads or tails of. There were playing cards with mythological beings etched into them, latex weapons and costumes, and pretty much everything that would get up at school for.

“This is what we do,” Tom dug through the box of unknown and pulled out a long latex sword, almost sending Huck yelping, “we LARP!”

“And play Magic”, Joe added.

“And Dungeons and Dragons,” Becky put her two cents in as well.

Huck shook his head in disbelief, almost not believing what on earth he was hearing,” I’m sorry, but I have no idea what any of that is”.

“LARP stands for ‘Live Action Role Play’. It’s essentially an adult game of make believe,” Tom explained, not forgetting to use hand gestures as well,” you create a character, travel to a land of fiction, and have your very own adventure. It’s awesome, I get to be like the fellows in them books!”

“Dungeons and Dragons, or DnD, is similar, but no live action, just role play,” Becky jumped in, “it’s a table top game, and its super fun”.

And finally, Joe finished it off, “Magic the Gathering is a cool card game, like Pokémon just with fantasy creatures”.

Huck blinked at them and raised his eyebrows, “so, you’re…nerds”.

Tom faked hurt and gasped, a hand flying to his chest,” I prefer the term enthusiast, thank you very much!”

Becky playfully rolled her eyes at his friend, turning back to Huck,” if you ever want to try any of it out, I’d be happy to make you a LARPing outfit”.

“No, you really don’t have to, I-I don’t want to trouble you, honest,” Huck couldn’t comprehend why she would be so nice to someone like him. She was a pretty little thing, a sugar filled smile and eyes that warmed winter. Compared to her, he thought he was a waste of a boy.

“Trust me, it’s no trouble at all, I rather like sewing. And I’m sure Joe would be more than happy to let you have on of his Magic decks, right?” she nudged the boy next to her, in which he nodded in response.

Huck looked down at his lap and tried to process what was happening. Was he allowed to call these two friends? Were they just being nice to him out of pity, or just for Tom? He didn’t understand why someone would show kindness to him unless they absolutely had to. Still, he looked up and couldn’t resist and smile as he nodded gleefully.

“Thank you very much,” Huck said, leaning a little bit more into Tom.

What Huck was feeling at the moment wasn’t bliss, but it was something.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, I really hope you enjoyed!  
> I tried to make the nightmare episode as realistic as possible, and though I'm no expert I deal/dealt with chronic nightmares so I tried my best to base it off of my own experiences.  
> I also love the idea of Tom being an absolute nerd, since he loved stories in the original book, I think he would drag his friends into and they would all be nerdy together lol.  
> If anyone is interested, I'm on both Tumblr and Instagram! Both are Rockersprayer, same as on AO3.  
> I hope you enjoy, and I hope more that you have a wonderful day! <3


	5. Boy's Sleepover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Huck and Tom's sleep over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: semi-romantic, for Tom and Huck, as well as Becky and Joe. Apologies for those who prefer their platonic relationship, but it will get more romantic through the chapters.

It was about dinner when Joe and Becky walked home together, the two-sticking close together as the sky grew darker and darker. The girl focused on Joe’s face, looking over every feature he had from his long face and nose to the light chocolate hair pushed out of his welcoming green eyes. Becky wrapped herself close around Joe’s arm and shuddered against the chilled wind, wishing one of them had brought a jacket.

Joe was always the first to speak up,” how do you like Huck so far?”

“He seems like a sweet boy, shy though,” her lip formed a slight pout,” do you think he doesn’t like us?”

“Nah, Becky, he’s just nervous is all”, Joe yawned out and cracked his neck,” don’t fuss on it”.

“I think it’s cool to see Tom so gosh darn happy around him, damn near warms my heart,” Becky didn’t have to look at Joe to know he said it with a goofy grin on his freckled face, she heard the happiness in his voice.

The strawberry blond rested her head on the boy’s arm and hummed in agreement, savoring the warmth he gave off,” it has been a while since Tom has been so…bubbly”.

Joe couldn’t help but let out a snort, “bubbly?”

“Don’t laugh!”, Becky tried to be angry but her giggling ruined her act,” I couldn’t think of a better word”.

“You’re right though,” Joe admitted,” Tom ain’t been so damn happy for god knows how longs”.

Becky’s honeyed smile made the boys heart flutter as she spoke, her words filled with sugar,” I like seeing Tom so happy, he’s more handsome when he smiles”.

With an eyebrow raised and furrowed, Joe gave his friend a questioning look,” you think Tom’s handsome?”

“I do think he’s handsome,” Becky looked up at him,” you both are, in different ways”.

“How so?”

“Well, Tom’s boyishly handsome. He’s got that fire-like mischievous charm about him,” her voice was full of thought and affection,” you, however, are traditionally handsome, like a gentleman. I like it”.

A blush snuck its way into Joe’s cheeks and ears, making him feel warm despite the crisp air biting at him. Between the two seemed no barrier, no space to keep them separate, and Joe couldn’t help but think he liked it. He liked it a lot.

* * *

 

Dinner at the Sawyer house seemed even more formal than with Ms. Douglas, if that was even possible. Huck couldn’t figure out why he needed two forks, or why one was smaller than the other one. From the glass cups from the flower centerpiece, Huck thought of how superficial it all looked, like it was all for show so people would think the family had the highest of standards, despite being lower-class. He didn’t like it, but kept his mouth shut.

Huck squirmed in his seat and tried to listen in on Tom’s half-brother Sid drone on about his bible study, but it bored him half to death. Tom looked to be in the same boat as him, with his chin on his hands and his eyes searching the ceiling for something that was at least half as insufferable.

Once Sid was done with his seemingly endless tale, the speaker changed to Aunt Polly,” Tom, the school called”. With that, the air seemed thicker, and more tense.

“Sayin’ you be skipping class the other day. That right, Tom?”

Huck could’ve sworn he heard Tom gulp from his seat,” I had reasons”.

It was clear that Aunt Polly was starting to fume, Huck could practically see the smoke coming out of her ears as she shot out of her seat in anger,” when is there ever a reason to skip your education, boy!?”

Tom followed his aunt’s actions and stood up, mostly for show it seemed, and knocked over his chair,” I was helping a friend!

Huck’s mind raised after it finally clicked. He thought back to the janitor’s closet, his tear stricken face stuffed into the crook of Tom’s neck. His chest tightened with guilt as he looked upon Aunt Polly with fear, thinking this was all his fault.

_It is your fault._

“Don’t go raisin’ your voice at me, boy,” the woman warned, her voice low and serious,” any friend draggin’ you out of class is no good I’ll tell you that!”

Tom’s voice cracked as he shouted,” don’t you go talking ‘bout him like that!”

It all seemed to happen faster than Huck could process. His mind froze and his breath left him when he saw Aunt Polly raise her hand and swing, her palm meeting Tom’s face with a smack. Even Sid dropped his jaw in shock, his eyes showing pity for his brother. Before Huck could reach out for Tom, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door on his way out.

With a sigh, Aunt Polly fell back into her seat and pinched the bridge of her nose,” my apologies, Huckleberry, you didn’t need to see that. Understand though, I’m his aunt not his friend”.

Huck only looked down, trying to avoid her eyes. He thought they looked just like his fathers.

With an ‘excuse me’ that pardoned him, Huck hurried himself out of the dining room in pursuit of his friend, following him to his bed room. He found Tom on the messy twin bed, throwing his fists into his pillow and cussing under his breath. His face was red from anger and his eyes were like glass, though Tom looked like he was trying not to cry with all his might. It broke Huck’s heart to see such a sight, and sat down on the bed next to him, putting his hand on Tom’s thigh to make his presence known.

“How she going to do that to me in front of you? Humiliating it is!”, Tom choked out, his eyes meeting Huck’s and pleading for affection. The only thing Huck could think to do was run his fingers through Tom’s campfire like hair.

“She’s always smacking me when she gets mad, and I can’t stand it anymore, Hucky!” a single tear slid down Tom’s face in a stream,” I hate living here!”

“And I can’t go living with my dad either, even if I wanted too…”

Huck had completely forgotten about Tom’s father over the years, seeing how he never met the man. All he knows he walked out when Tom was baby, right when his mother began to wither away within herself. No one ever said it, but everyone knew the reason why Tom’s mother brought the gun to her head was because of her husband walking put on her, leaving her with two babies, one not even her own, and a steadily declining mental health.

Huck squeezed his friends shoulder and guided Tom’s face to his, their gazes meeting,” t-that wasn’t your fault out there, and what your Aunt Polly did was wrong, but she loves you…more than your dad does”.

Tom shook his head and wiped his eyes,” I don’t know, Huck…”

Looking at his friend, Huck felt useless. The one person he loved the most was struggling and he didn’t even know how to help him. Worthless, he thought, absolutely worthless.

“M’sorry Hucky, I shouldn’t be whining like a girl in front of you…” Tom lifted his balled-up fists out of the pillow and ran his fingers through his hair, taking a deep breath. Huck wanted to let Tom go on more, to not let him bury all his feelings to try and seem manlier, but kept his mouth shut like always.

_Pathetic._

The corners of Tom’s lips turned upwards, trying to show Huck that he was okay, but it was easy to tell it was a façade, though he still continued.

“I got an idea, Hucky”, the russet boy inquired,” we should be camping outside tonight like old times”.

A shaky laugh escaped Huck’s lips and he found himself smiling at the other boy, “y-yeah, that’d be great”.

* * *

 

The sky was inky and splattered with stars, no moon in sight. Despite the warmer Fall season, the air was nippy and it seemed to be a two-dog night. The tent Huck and Tom set up was old and trashy, to say the least. It was covered in dust when they found it, and it was peppered with holes all along the walls. It held memories for them though, and that was the important part.

The two boys lay side by side, taking in each other’s warmth and enjoying each other’s presence. Tom was reading to Huck _The Lord of the Flies_ , and he let his eyes close and let himself be swallowed by the book. Tom seemed to build him palaces out of paragraphs, his words like a blanket that made him feel safe and warm.

While Tom took a break in-between chapters, Huck couldn’t help but mumble out,” you’re like Ralph”.

“Hm?”

“You’re like Ralph, in the book, because he’s a leader and nice and such,” Huck reiterated what he said.

Tom’s face scrunched up in a smile that Huck found was the most beautiful thing his eyes could ever see,” you’re like Simon”.

“How so?”

“Well,” Tom giggled,” he’s peaceful and sweet like you”.

A snicker found its way onto Tom’s face when Huck’s cheeks began to glow a bright crimson. Tom leaned closer and teased his friend, poking and wiggling his fingers on his friends belly, loving it when Huck exploded in giggles. He continued his assault until Huck composed himself enough to retaliate, digging his fingers into Tom’s underarms.

“I give up! I give up!” Tom wiggled away, strings of laughter still bubbling from him.

The two seemed blissful, laying together giggling and trying to catch their breath. Tom rolled over and wrapped himself in his blanket, smiling like a kid. Huck looked over him and couldn’t help the goofy grin that adorned him. His face warmed and heart raced just looking at him.

Tom seemed to notice Huck staring and shimmied his eyebrows,” see something you like, Hucky?”

The tent seemed to get hotter and the space between them got closer. Huck’s eyes widened and looked at his friend with affection, leaning in closer and closer, until Tom’s breath was on his cheek. Though his heart raced and his fingers trembled he didn’t stop as their lips brushed together. Tom lay there and took it, not daring to breath.

Huck snapped out of it and whipped his head up, smacking his hands over his mouth and falling back on his rear. He began to sputter out apologies all he could, his eyes wide with fear and anxiety.

“I-I’m sorry! I-I’m so sorry!” Huck’s vision blurred through tears as he tripped his way out of the tent, falling on the ground and scrambling away despite Tom pleading behind him to stay.

“No no, Huck it’s fine!” Tom called from behind him, jumping and sprinting his way out of the tent after him,” Huck!”

The boys ran until their lungs burned and their legs screamed at the to stop. Huck didn’t know how far he went, but soon he felt Tom throw his weigh at him, tackling him on the grass under the street light. Though they were an even match for each other in strength, Tom wrestled him to the ground and pinned his arms down, despite Huck’s struggles.

“Huckleberry Finn calm down!” Tom cried out, having a difficult time keeping his friend pinned.

“T-Tom I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to I swear!” Though Tom understood what he was saying, Huck was crying and blubbering out every word, practically choking on his speech.

“I-It’s okay I swear- “.

"I didn’t mean to, I swear, I just- I’m so sorry, Tom”, Tom realized Huck was hyperventilating, just like in the janitors closet at school,” Please don’t leave me. I-I know I’m a shit friend like your Aunt Polly says but please don’t leave me, please!”

Tom stared in awe, like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing, Regardless, he dragged Huck up onto his knees and grabbed his face, making Huck look him in the face even if he didn’t want too.

“Hucky, I’ve never heard such nonsense. Anyone would be a dumbass to leave you”, Tom pulled him in and cradled his friend into him,” I won’t leave you…”.

Huck managed to control his breathing enough for his trembling to settle. He eventually pulled himself away, and worked up enough courage to look Tom in the eyes.

“I’m sorry I’m like this, that I freak out…”, his voice was tight and choked up.

“It’s okay, Hucky, I promise,” Tom wiped his friends tear away with his thumb, “I can pretend it didn’t happen, if you’d rather want that”.

Huck didn’t have to be a scientist to know that ‘it’ meant the kiss, and he nodded. Tom reached out for the dark brunette, and Huck gradually took his hand. He still felt stuffy from the crying, and his body swayed when he finally got to his feet. The red head steadied him, wrapping his arm around his shoulder to keep Huck standing.

“You’re going to be okay Huck, I promise”.


	6. Muddy Water

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this was a little late for your liking, school has been loading on work like no tomorrow. :(  
> Don't worry though, updates will still be regular, and I hope you enjoy! <3

Huck wished he was warned that Sunday mornings involved getting up before the sun rose to prepare for church. The light was barely peeking over the horizon when Ms. Douglas woke him up, his eyes drooping sleepily. So, his head nodded up in down in exhaustion as he sat in front of the mirror of the bathroom. His foster mother sat behind him, spraying his disheveled hair with water and running a comb through the dark strands.

“I’m going to cut it now,” Ms. Douglas said in a hushed voice behind him,” are you ready?”

With one last gulp and anxious nod, Huck squeezed his eyes shut and let Ms. Douglas do her work. He felt tuffs of his dark brown hair slide down his night shirt and onto the floor. Holding a clump of it in his hands, Huck couldn’t say why he felt like tearing up. He was holding his identity in between his fingers, it was his hair that truly showed how much of a ragamuffin he was. Through all the years of hating himself, Huck still promised no one would hold him down, to change him.

Except no one cared enough to give him a haircut or put shoes on his feet or make sure he took a bath regularly. Ms. Douglas was the first person to buy him his own wardrobe, the first person to draw him a bath, and the first person to make him presentable. Looking at the dark strands clenched in his fists, he thought maybe it wasn’t that important to his identity.

With one ruffled to his hair, the woman smiled triumphantly,” all done. Have a look, sweetie”.

Huck slowly lifted his head up, and didn’t recognize the young man in the mirror. The hair that kicked out in tuffs on his neck were clipped shorter, seemingly only having an inch on the nape of his neck now. The bangs that usually hung to his nose were cut and brushed out of his eyes, giving him a more mature look to his boyish charm. Huck couldn’t figure out if he liked it or if he looked like a pansy.

Ms. Douglas continued to run her fingers through his hair when she spoke,” do you like it?”

The boy couldn’t help but let out a giggle and ear to ear grin when he realized Tom’s hair was similar. It was starting to grow on him.

“I do,” Huck turned to face her, flashing her with a smile,” thank you”.

“I’m glad to hear, Huckleberry,” Ms. Douglas returned the smile, and Huck thought it was just like Becky’s; full of sugar and sweetness,” now go get in your Sunday bests, I put them out on the bed for you”.

* * *

 

Huck can’t recall the last time he has felt so dorky. After putting on the clothes in his room and giving himself a good look in the mirror, he almost busted out into laughter. Huck was cladded in gray dress pants that hugged his body despite his small form, and were held up by red suspenders hung over a white dress shirt just calling for Huck to get dirty. To anybody else, he would’ve looked proper. To Huck, he looked like a tool.

“Don’t fret, you look handsome,” Ms. Douglas reminded him as she held open the church doors for him and ushering him in.

If Huck thought school was intimidating, church was nightmare fuel. Every pew in the church was bustling with everyone dressed way to nice for such a hick town, and almost all of the unfamiliar faces glanced his way and gave him a questioning look. He thought it was possible he was infamous, being the son of the old town drunk, everyone tried to erase from history. Huckleberry Finn, almost like he was back from the dead.

Ms. Douglas tapped on Huck’s shoulder drawing him out of his thoughts,” Huckleberry, I want you to meet some members of our community” she directed him to an older man and young woman standing side by side,” this is Judge Thatcher and Ms. Harper”.

Huck blinked in his confusion,” like…Joe and Becky?”

The man Ms. Douglas called Judge Thatcher let out a chuckle and scratched his snow-white beard,” Rebecca is my daughter. She was telling me all about you, son”.

Huck didn’t care for being called son, but kept his mouth shut as it was the woman called Ms. Harper’s turned to speak,” yes, I’m Joseph’s mother, it’s a pleasure to meet you”.

As she shook Huck’s hand, Ms. Harper’s expression softened and she said just above a whisper,” I used to know your mother, most of us did”.

It didn’t take a second for Huck to rip his hand away and stare at her in awe, but immediately mumbled an apology. The three adults gave him a concerned look, but Ms. Douglas could tell he was bothered, so she led him through the church aisles.

“Are you okay?” his foster mother put a hand on his shoulder and asked, her question full of concern.

“M’fine,” he lied right through his teeth, and she could tell.

Ms. Douglas thought for a second, and her lip curled up when an idea struck,” we can sit next to Tom Sawyer in the first row if that will make you feel better”.

Huck’s face immediately lit up, causing Ms. Douglas to chuckle and guide him to the fiery boy in the front row, his russet hair hard to miss.

As Tom’s eyes spotted Huck, he grew the biggest grin any boy could have, almost looking painful. He grabbed hold of Huck’s sleeve and practically dragged him down the pew, making sure he was close by his side and not too far away for comfort.

“Huck, you gone and cut your hair!” Tom reached up and ruffled his friend’s hair until it looked like a fluffy mess,” it’s handsome if I do say so myself”.

Huck’s eyes flashed with excitement and his face warmed,” you really think so?”

With a wink and smirk, Tom giggled out, “I know so!”

When the old man whom Huck assumed was the priest stood at the podium, the church fell silent and he began to read from passages from the bible. The boy couldn’t help but squirm uncomfortably in his seat, and think that the excerpts the man was preaching were boring and dry. He found church to be a lot of standing and kneeling, and Tom poking him in the ribs to see if he can get him to laugh amongst the silent church goers. It worked eventually, causing the two boys to be hushed for the tomfoolery and laughter.

Eventually mass was over, and Huck realized he was practically falling asleep by the end of it. Tom led him through the crowds and outside the old church, where they found Ms. Douglas and Aunt Polly side by side, presumably talking about the young men.

“Oh, boys, there you are,” Ms. Douglas grinned Tom’s way,” how are you, Tom Sawyer?”

“I’m good ma’am, thank you very much,” Tom tipped his hat off, perfecting his gentlemen persona, “and yourself, ma’am?”

“Splendid, thank you,” Ms. Douglas turned her attention to her foster son,” what’re your plans for today?”

Before Huck could reply, Tom spoke for him,” Hucky, you should hang with me by the river today, like old times!”

Huck beamed and looked at Ms. Douglas for approval, almost whooping with delight when she nodded. Tom grabbed his friend’s wrist and ran, hollering and laughing all the way.

* * *

 

The sight of the Mississippi was enough to make his eyes blur just like the muddy water. Waves lapped at his toes as he thought back to the years he and Tom would spend hours swimming up and down the river, or how the shores were his sanctuary away from his home. So many nights slept on this sand, or in an old barrel not too far. If anything, this was home.

Huck turned to smile at Tom, but gasped and grew beet red when he saw his friend with no clothes on. His garments were thrown about on the ground, and he stood proudly flashing God and him.

“Jesus Christ, Tom Sawyer!” Huck covered his face in his hands, blushing madly,” I wasn’t planning on seeing all THAT today!”

“Aw c’mon, Huck,” Huck saw Tom smirk through his hands,” we been swimming like this since we were knee high! I say it ain’t no difference”.

Sighing, Huck lowered his hands and shrugged, the red rouge still prominent on his face,” suppose you’re right, Tom”.

“’Course I’m right! Now it’s your turn, lose the clothes”.

Huck began unbuttoning the fancy duds he had on trembling hands, and removed his clothes one by one. The boy lowered his head in embarrassment as he compared himself to Tom and thought he might laugh at him. Though the two were similar in height and build, Huck was skinnier and had white scars littering his body, especially his back and rear end. It almost makes him look like some little kids chalk board, but he thought he was no work of art.

Tom wolf whistled at him,” mighty cute, if I do say so myself”.

“Hush yourself,” Huck giggled out, despite his own self-consciousness. Before he could react, Tom picked him up bridal style, taking no time to throw Huck into the river, despite Huck’s shrieking and pleading.

“Damn it, Tom!” the boy emerged from the river, spitting out water that was too muddy for Huck’s liking. Huck tried to glare at Tom when he busted out into full belly laughs, but joined in nonetheless until his ribs ached.

Tom wiped his joyful tears away and jumped into the river beside his friend, purposefully splashing Huck’s face of water. The two laughed and wrestled, water flying everywhere until Tom managed to pin Huck on the shore, both of them laughing and panting for air. Their skin began to burn from the sun and muscles ached from joy, but they still sat and let their feet soak in the waves. It seemed they didn’t need words to fill empty space, just each other.

Eventually Huck sat up and hugged his knees tight, looking at Tom,” can I ask you something?”

“You just did,” Tom snickered,” of course, Hucky, what’s up?”

“Do you remember my mom?”

Tom’s eyes widened with surprise. He hadn’t thought of Huck’s mom in years.

“Where’s this comin’ from?” Tom asked, scooting closer to the other boy until their shoulder touched.

“Joe’s mom said she knew her, or something like that”, Huck mumbled into his knees,” I don’t know, it didn’t sit with me right”.

Scratching the back of his head, Tom thought for a moment before he spoke again,” yeah, I remember your mama. A sweet thing, pretty too if I recall correctly”.

Huck hummed in agreement, though he actually had few memories of his mother. Most of which were ones where they had matching bruised eyes and hiding from his father. Very little happy memories could he think of.

“What about your mama, Tom, you remember her?” Huck softly asked, laying his head against Tom’s bare shoulder.

Tom shook his head,” nah, I was too young. Wish I did though”.

Though both were parentless, Huck couldn’t help but think that he was the last Finn left. With his mother an angel and his father having drank himself to death after he left, he the sole survivor of the Finn’s. It was a name riddled with misfortune and shame, and dragged Huck down like a ball and chain.

“Man, I wish I could change my name. The Finn’s suck,” Huck groaned,” but being the last one, I have to carry the name, right?”

“Not necessarily,” Tom craned his neck and looked at Huck with a smirk and a wink,” you could change your name to Sawyer”.

Huck giggled into his friend, despite the blush coming back. Right now, it seemed perfect, and even if Huck wanted to, he forced his body to keep his hands to himself. He’d die before he repeated his episode at the sleep over.

Though taking in Tom’s loving warmth, arms wrapped around each other, Huck was content.

 


	7. Tom's Not Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: Homophobic Language

_Huck Finn’s mother was the most tender soul in all of St. Petersburg, and everyone in the town knew it. A maternal angel at heart, the blue eyes she would pass on to her son always yearned to give charity. They were bright and warm like the hearth, inviting everyone into her life._

_After one too many blows to the head and an excessive amount of alcohol, her loving husband turned to swinging fists instead of words. As much as she loved him, she feared for the child growing in her belly. When she brought her son into this world, she did everything she could to shelter him from the world. Her husband had other ideas. Tough love, he called it._

_Miss Finn was never a healthy woman, but the birth put a toll on her body. She was bed ridden and feeble, completely vulnerable to her husband’s alcoholic stupidity. The only light in her life was her sweet boy._

_“Huckleberry Finn,” she spoke with a hoarse tone,” come here, baby”._

_Huck stumbled over to his mother’s bed as best as his toddler legs can and grabbed her thin hand, making his own one look chubby and small. Looking at her son, she noticed how much he resembled his father._

_“You know I love you, right?”_

_The small boy nodded and brought his mother’s hand to his face, letting her fingers trail in the dark wisps of his hair._

_“And you know your father loves you, right Huck?”_

_At that Huck stopped nodding his head, and looked at his mother with questioning eyes. All she did was sigh and bring her son close so their foreheads rested on each other._

_“I’m sorry, Huck Finn,” tears began to fall down her face just like the river Huck held so dear,” you deserve so much more”._

_Huck climbed into the bed with her and held her close. His mother wept and kept her arms wrapped tightly around her sweet boy, keeping him close to her chest. Huck matched his breathing along with her heart beat and pretended the world around him didn’t exist._

_“I love you so much, baby”._

_Thump, thump, thump._

_“You’ll always be my angel”._

_Thump, thump._

_“I’m never going to leave you, Huck”._

_Thump._

_“Remember that”._

_Huck’s breath hitched when he couldn’t feel his mother’s heart beat no more. Her crying stopped and she looked more peaceful than she ever had in her entire life._

_“…Mama?” his voice trembled and his lip quivered._

_She didn’t respond._

* * *

 

For once Huck wasn’t dreading to go to school, though it still wasn’t his ideal place. Now he associated it with seeing his friends, more specifically Tom. What was once a dread to be among people whose judgmental eyes bore into him turned into a giddiness to be with the most important person in his life.

It took until the class was called to lunch for Huck to realize Tom wasn’t in school. Though his head hung low and his heart sank in disappointment, he forced himself to trudge into the cafeteria despite his returning anxieties.

“Huck! Over here!”

The boy whipped his head around and didn’t know whether to be anxious or happy when he saw both Joe and Becky waving him over. He decided to put a smile on his face and hurry his way over to their table, despite Tom’s absence.

“You sure it’s alright if I sit with you guys?” Huck asked, looking around the cafeteria as if waiting for this all to be some big joke.

“Where else would you sit?” Joe took the bagel out of his mouth and raised an eyebrow,” sit down, buddy”.

The word ‘buddy’ rang in Huck’s ears as he sat down, barely hearing anything else. It was his first day without Tom Sawyer by his side and he wasn’t too sure how he would be able to handle it. He was so zoned out that he didn’t even realize when Joe and Becky were talking to him.

“Sorry, could you repeat that?”

“We were sayin’”, Becky swallowed her pizza slice before continuing,” that we should start planning out a LARP character for you, if you’re interested”.

Huck’s eyebrows raised with questions,” that live action roleplay you guys told me about? You really wouldn’t mind me doing that with you?”

“Of course not!” Becky smiled and placed her hand on top of Huck’s, and he was surprised with himself when he didn’t automatically flinch away,” you’re really cool, we want you to hang out with us”.

Eyes widening with shock, Huck’s face flushed with red as his shoulders tensed up. It wasn’t a bad feeling that was running through his chest and head, but he sure as hell wasn’t used to it.

Joe dug through his book bag and pulled out a pen and journal ready to be written in, “Alright, first step is picking a class for your character”.

“I’m sorry, but I have no idea what that means,” Huck admitting and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

“Like, what does your character do that aids the group, “Joe began to explain whilst tapping the pen to his chin,” for example, I’m a healer and Becky here is a mage”.

“So, like, could I be an archer?” the boy asked the mavericks,” I always thought bow and arrows were cool”.

“Sure, we need one of those so it works out,” Joe quickly scribbled information down in the journal,” weapons like that for game are easy to get, too”.

Huck almost forgot Becky was there until she spoke up,” Tom’s character is a swordsman called Lionboy”.

Not helping but to snort at that, Huck asked,” Lionboy?”

Becky giggled along with him,” yeah, I told him it was super dorky. He said he wanted to be like Ponyboy Curtis, but thought lions were cooler than horses”.

“Speaking of names,” Joe interrupted, clearly wanting to get this done,” do you have any idea what you want your character’s name to be?”

“No idea”.

“Alright, well, have you ever read a book or seen a movie where you thought the character had a really cool name? Like anything in the fantasy genre”.

Huck thought for a moment, trying his best not to disappoint his new friends, when he finally had an idea,” when I was younger I watched this movie _The Black Cauldron_ and the boy’s name was Taran. I thought it was kind of cool, is that good?”

“Perfect!” Becky’s smile grew and Joe gave him the ‘okay’ hand gesture, and continued writing in his journal.

“This is good, this is good,” Joe smiled and said under his breath,” Becky can give your ideas for an outfit later. Fashion isn’t my department”.

The girl smirked,” yeah I can tell” and busted out into laughter when her friend shot her a glare.

The scene seemed so damn regular for teenagers, but it was foreign to Huck and he needed to learn to adjust. He forced his tense shoulders down and took several deep breaths, making his heart beat as steady as possible. I can do this, he thought, I can do this.

* * *

 

It was back to the last class of the day, and Huck couldn’t wait to get home and take a nap for as long as he wanted. Only one more class and he would be set free. Huck wasn’t really paying attention either way. Ever since lunch he was sketching in an old journal Ms. Douglas had gave him. It consisted of simple doodles of Taran and Lionboy together, the biggest one being the two fantasy warriors holding hands. It wasn’t a masterpiece, but he liked staring at it and pretending the world around him disappeared.

Huck’s mind raced when he sat next to the golden eyed girl from before, trying to avert his stare as much as he could. It ultimately failed when he felt her tap on his shoulder, her fake nails leaving a mark.

“Hey, Huckleberry Finn. You good?” the girl asked as if she was actually concerned for his wellbeing.

“Y-yeah, why?”

The girl shrugged and pushed her brunette hair behind her ears, revealing golden hooped earrings,” well you ran out the other day, and you’re spacing out now”.

The boy forced himself a smile,” yeah, I’m fine”.

“Well, that’s cool I guess,” the girl sighed and folded her arms across her chest,” I’m Amy Lawrence, by the way”.

Huck nodded and turned back to his drawing, only to have Amy physically rip the journal from his hands and begin to flip through the pages. Despite Huck’s protests, she proceeded without hesitation.

“You draw, huh?”

Huck sputtered out any objection he could think of,” g-give it here!”

Amy turned the drawing of Huck and Tom’s characters together, side by side holding hands. A snicker painted itself on her lips ad she threw it back on his desk,” was that Tom Sawyer I saw?”

Huck didn’t respond.

“He’s not a fag, you know. He ain’t gonna be holding hands with you,” she scoffed and flipped her hair for extra audacity,” he was talkin’ to me before, so like I said he ain’t no faggot”.

The teacher began the lesson but Huck kept his head hung low as the tears soon begin to fall into his lap. He gripped his khakis in his fists until his nails hurt and his knuckles were white. Huck’s shoulder quaked and snot dripped onto his pants with the hot angry tears. This class was enough to ruin his good day, to make him hate everything about.

First day without Tom Sawyer was a failure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter was a little shorter than usual, I tried revising it as much as I could until I was happy with it, and even now I'm not satisfied but there's not much else I can do. School worker has gotten better, so I have more time to write, which is good!:)  
> To be completely honest, I got really emotional while writing the scene with Huck's mother, and had to take the day off from writing because it was personally had to convey something like that. I hope it was realistic enough, I tried to use my own experience to really convey emotion.  
> I also apologize if anyone is against the slurs used. I didn't think it would convey the bigotry if I left them out, so I hope me leaving them in didn't offend anyone. At school I get called a faggot and a dyke a lot behind my back when I first came out(not really anymore but it still happens from time to time) and while I never let it bother me, I knew other kids who got called slurs all the time and they could only take so much until they broke.  
> Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed, and have a wonderful day!


	8. Boys Can Cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even the strongest cry sometimes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The update is a little early, but I had to start working on this earlier in the week so I would have time to focus on my schoolwork. As much as I care about this story, school unfortunately has to come first.

It barely took Huck a second to run out of the school house as soon as the bell was rung. To say crying in the middle of class was embarrassing and filled him with burning shame was an understatement. His eyes were swollen and red by the time he made his way out the doors, and he was trying to wipe any of the stray tears off his face. All the boy wanted now was to go home and sleep for as long as he pleased.

“Where are you running off too?”

Huck stopped dead in his tracks and looked to the direction of the voice, only to find his nonchalant russet headed boy leaning against a tree, a goofy smirk decorating his face. Tom winked at him and ushered Huck over, giving off his usual comforting warmth that melted ice.

“Hey Hucky,” Tom’s grin grew as he ran his fingers through Huck’s dark hair, pulling him into a hug,” how was school?”

“Shit, total shit,” Huck blatantly replied, causing Tom to snort at his honesty.

That’s when Huck saw it. A bruise the size of a fist was painted on Tom’s cheek, its blue and purple hues sticking out like a sore thumb. It sure looked like it hurt, so Huck had to restrain himself when he wanted to reach out a touch it. Tom Sawyer is known for being a reckless bastard, but he’s not a fighter, no matter how hard he tries to be.

With a hush voice, Huck spoke,” …what happened?”

Tom raised an eyebrow full of questions until he half-heartedly laughed and lightly touched the bruise,” this thing? Nothing to worry about, I tripped last night and didn’t want people seeing this ugly shiner,” then he posed,” I got to have people keep thinking I’m a beauty”.

Even if Tom was trying to joke around, it didn’t stop Huck from worrying. He’s had bruises like that, and he knows where they come from.

“Are you sure, Tom?” Huck asked again,” you know you can tell me anything…”

“I’m fine, I swear!” Tom even did his hand gestures for extra reassurance,” let me walk you home, okay?”

There talk was filled with casual chatter, from LARPing to school work to Joe and Becky. They didn’t even need words to fill empty space in-between them, because all they needed was each other. Huck seemed to almost forget his past worries until he remembered Amy Lawrence, her words burning into his mind like a fire poker.

Huck turned to Tom,” can I ask you somethin’?”

“Sure, go an ahead”.

“What’s up with Amy Lawrence?”

Tom’s shoulder tensed at the sound of her name, and he almost stopped in his place. It seemed he couldn’t even look Huck when he spoke, focusing his gaze on anything else,” what about her?”

Huck jammed his fists into his pockets and bit his lip anxiously,” she just, um, s-she called me a fag today, and said you and her was talking? Romantically, I assume?”

The air between them began to seem tense and cold in a matter of seconds. Huck never saw Tom’s eyebrows so scrunched together in anxiety, or his eyes so buried in regret that they were as hard as steel. It was hard to look at Tom like this, his usual sunny atmosphere completely torn away.

“J-just ignore her,” Tom’s voice seemed so serious that Huck almost didn’t recognize him,” she’s a bitch, she ain’t worth your time”. It seemed one of Tom’s talents was dodging questions.

Figuring it was time to change the subject, Huck took the lead for once,” I sat with Becky and Joe today at lunch”.

Even if Tom’s face before showed somberness, it didn’t stop his lips to curl up and a sweet smile and his eyes to warm up,” really? How’d it go?”

“I really like them, though it’s weird. I don’t get why they want to be with me even when you’re not there…”

Tom put Huck in a headlock and messed up his hair, making it more wild than normal,” maybe because Huckleberry Finn is the most amazing boy alive?”

Huck couldn’t help but laugh and pull away, jabbing Tom in the ribs before regaining his composure,” you’re full of it”.

“Full of greatness, Huck!”

They snorted and laughed the rest of the way to the Douglas residence, their sides hurting when they finally arrived. Huck’s heart warmed as Tom watched him walk in the house, making sure nothing happened. When he made in safely inside the house, he fell back against the door and slid to the floor, his face red and his smile unable to stop giggling. Lovesick, some would call it.

* * *

 

It was around supper time when Tom made it home, the sun beginning to lower itself behind the trees. The Sawyer household smelled like boiled potatoes and other typical dinner time food, making the boys mouth water with anticipation. Tom didn’t realize just how starving he was until he smelled his aunt’s cooking.

“Tom? Is that you”, he heard his Aunt Polly call from the kitchen.

Tom sighed and took of his shoes before walking in on her cooking the family meal,” yeah, it’s me”.

What he was expecting was a hug and kiss and a ‘welcome home’, but what he got was a cold stare and a woman scoffing at him.

“I’m getting’ sick and tired of the school callin’, Tom”, her tone was cold and harsh, like she was reading to spit venom and fire,” so, why’d you skip school?”

Without hesitation, Tom glared right back at her,” why do you think?”, and jabbed a finger at the bruise on his cheek.

“I didn’t even slap you that hard, Tom”.

“Hard enough to leave a bruise”.

That’s when Aunt Polly snapped,” well why do you think I did it!? I know you and that orphan boy were frolicking naked by the river!”

“And what’s the problem, we did it when we was younger”, the boy shot right back, his eyes and voice full of rebellious enmity.

Aunt Polly let out an exasperated breath and threw her hands up in frustration,” Thomas Sawyer you are sixteen years old, you can’t be like this with other boys! People will get the wrong idea and judge you”.

“No, you don’t care if people judge me, you care if people judge YOU!” Tom stepped closer to his aunt, blaring off his newfound belligerent attitude,” you don’t want people thinking you have a queer nephew. Is that right?”

“You know nothin’, boy.”

“I know enough to say that I love that ‘orphan boy’, and you can’t stop me from doing so!” Tom’s yelled so loud it echoed throughout the house, causing Sid to come into the kitchen concerned, only to witness his brother begin kicking the wall in anger.

“Do you ever think about anyone but yourself, boy!?” Aunt Polly spat at her nephew,” like, what on earth do you think your mama would think of you right now!?”

“Who cares what she would think, she’s dead!”

It seemed to happen in slow motion, though it was faster than Tom could even process. The woman grabbed him by his shirt collar and shoved him into the wall, the boy’s hitting it with a thud as he slid to the ground in pain. His face didn’t show any hurt or agony, just betrayal, like she had ripped all the trust in her from his heart.

“Tom…” Sid knelt beside his brother and put a hand on his shoulder, only to have it swatted away as Tom stomped way and ran up the stairs.

“Tom, I wasn’t thinkin’!” Aunt Polly called after the boy, but with no success,” Tom!”

Slamming his bedroom door behind him, Tom quickly picked up his pillow and screamed bloody murder into it. He stamped his feet and threw his hands to his hair, balling them up into fists and pulling with anger. He gripped his pillow and curled into a ball on the ground, squeezing his eyes shut so no tears or anymore emotions could escape.

Don’t cry don’t cry, Tom chanted throughout his head, be a man and don’t you dare cry.

* * *

 

As soon as Huck saw Tom the next day at school, he knew something was wrong. The copper-haired boy’s eyes were sunken and dark, seemingly dead looking. His head hung low and his usual nice attire was swapped with plaid pajama pants and a baggy black shirt. Even though Tom assured his friends he was fine and just tired, Huck caught his bluff. Apparently, so did Becky Thatcher.

“Somethings wrong with him,” she whispered into Huck’s ear, and he nodded in response.

“I know,” he agreed and looked at Becky with worrisome eyes,” do you know what?”

Becky shook her head, sending strawberry blond ponytail messy,” I don’t now, but Tom Sawyer never shuts his mouth and he ain’t about to start now”.

“I’ll go talk to him, if that would help”, Huck offered, clearly wanted to aide his best friend.

Becky nodded and gave Huck a hug, which he awkwardly took. She gave off a warmth like Tom’s but more sweet and sisterly,” it would, thank you, Huck”.

It didn’t take long for Huck to find Tom in their usual broom closet, pacing back and forth with his hands covering his face. The sight sent Huck’s heart into his toes and his breath off to anywhere but with him.

“…Tom?” he spoke, his voice trying to reach out to his friend.

Tom looked up from his hands and to the other boy, only to sigh and take a seat on the floor. His face seemed to contort with anger more and more by the second.

“You don’t have to skip class for me, Huck”, Tom assured him,” I’ll be okay”.

Huck threw his book bag to the side and sat down next to him, “you’re more important than chemistry class”.

They sat in silence for a moment as Huck did everything that Tom would do if the roles were switched; running his fingers through Tom’s hair and wrapping an arm around his shoulder. Huck didn’t know if any of it was working, but right now he would do anything to calm Tom down.

“Talk to me, Tom”.

“I-It’s just,” Tom rested his head against his knees and grabbed fistfuls of his hair,” my aunt and I were fighting last night, but it’s fine”.

“It’s not fine, Tom, you’re about to cry”, Huck pleaded with him, pulling him in even closer.

Tom looked up at him helplessly,” I don’t cry!” he immediately hushed his voice and spoke again,” I-I can’t cry, I just can’t”.

“Why not?”

“I have to be strong, for you and for everybody,” he began choking on his own words,” I got to be a man, Huck”.

Huck raised his eyebrows at his friend, his chest tightening up at his words. If there was a even the slightest chance that what Tom was saying was true, what does that say about Huck? What does that say about the boy who’s been cradled while he cried his heart out?

“Tom Sawyer, you are allowed to cry. It doesn’t matter what’s in your pants or how old you are, you can cry,” Huck grabbed a hold of Tom’s face and stared into his eyes, their stare never breaking,” you’re strong no matter what, I promise you. Please believe me”.

It was all it took for Tom’s face to start to crumble, for the tears to start to fall. He held onto Huck with all his might as he cried into his shoulder and told him everything. Everything from Aunt Polly shoving him into a wall, to her berating Tom about his relationship with Huck. Huck could tell Tom had never been so open and vulnerable in his life, and he held onto him tighter, never daring to let go as his eyes felt watery as well.

“That’s crazy though,” Huck tried to reason with him the best he could,” someone as amazing as you wouldn’t like someone like me- “

“But I do!” Tom cut him off, his sobs slightly muffled in Huck’s shirt,” H-Huck I do! I loved when we was younger, and I love you now. You know how much of a bawl baby I was when you left? I was broken. A-and now you’re back and I’m in love and my aunt hates me for it!”

Huck doesn’t know what to feel in the moment, so many emotions were rushing through him. Love? Sympathy? Anger towards his aunt? He felt all of the above, but most of all he felt compassion for every single thing about the boy in his arms. Everything from the tears flowing in rivers to the russet curl of hair that wouldn’t stay down no matter what.

“She hates me Huck, I can’t go back,” Tom’s crying had slowed but his voice was still stuffy and heavy.

“You can stay with me tonight,” Huck murmured into the other boy’s hair,” it’ll be okay, I promise”.

The two were quiet for a moment, taking each other in as much as possible. Tom’s breathing had slowed to a normal pace and his quaking seemed to settle. It made Huck more than relieved.

“Huck…can I ask you a favor?” Tom’s voice was whisper like as he brought his head up to meet Huck’s eyes.

“O-of course”.

“Kiss me”, Tom didn’t shy away from the blatancy,” I want you to kiss me like you did in the tent”.

Huck’s face grew red and his lips quivered with nervousness and anticipation. He never knew how much he could shake until now, when it felt like he was having his own internal earth quake. But Huck still leaned forward and met his lips to Tom’s. It was less rushed than their last kiss; their noses didn’t bump and the kiss was reciprocated this time. Tom took the lead and cupped Huck’s face and kissed him as sweetly as one boy could. The moment was perfect, and both boys would gladly support that.

It was Huck who pulled apart, almost melting when Tom tried to chase after his lips,” we have to get to class”.

“Class can wait”, Tom pleaded as he kissed Huck again.

Huck let a giggle escape and played with Tom’s hair,” I can’t get in trouble, I’ve never seen Ms. Douglas angry and I don’t plan to”.

“Alright, alright,” Tom sighed and slung his rucksack over his shoulder and led Huck out of the closet, their hands intertwined with each other. They walked down the hall together, shoulder to shoulder and hand in hand.

It was a perfect sight, and in the moment, Huck was a true merry boy.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the longest chapter I've written so far (I busted my ass writing it) and frankly it's the one I'm most proud of. I worked days on it and I'm so happy with the outcome.  
> If any of you want to hit me up on social media, I have tumblr and instagram ( both @rockersprayer, same as on Archiveofourown).  
> Also there is a complete Huck and Tom fanfiction called "as long as its in my direction" by xpatxperience. I know Sawyerberry works are hard to come by, so I think you all should read this one. :)  
> I hope you all enjoyed, and wish you all a wonderful day!


	9. Stay Here Tonight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: referenced suicide/alcohol poisoning  
> Also a lot of swearing in this chapter

_It was just a week ago social services hauled Huck’s ass into their car and drove out of sight. The police were now searching for his father, but it seemed he fled before anyone could tell. Tom wasn’t so convinced, and even if he was wrong his anger blinded any sense he had. He raced down the forest dirt road as fast as he could, despite his legs crying at him to stop._

_When he did reach the cabin, all hell let loose. Tom screamed and punched at the damned place, throwing his fists against the door as tears streamed down his face. The boy screamed so much his voice became hoarse with fury. Tom thought anything that ever happened in this house was nothing compared to what he had in store._

_“You fucking bastard!” he spat and threw his body against the door once more,” he’s gone! Gone, gone gone! And it’s all your fault!”_

_No answer._

_“He was my best friend, and you did everything you could to break him! You’ll burn in hell, old man!”_

_Still no answer._

_“I know you’re in there you fucking coward! They’ll find you and your ass will rot in jail._

_With every word, Tom threw all his weight at the door,” bastard! Bastard! BASTARD!”_

_Before he could realize it, the door crashed open and Tom fell to the ground with a thud. He was going to rush through the entire house and beat the living shit out of anything that crossed his path, only to be stopped by a sight that caused his breakfast to almost come up and his mind to shut off. Pap Finn lay sprawled out in front of him, stripped naked and covered in his own vomit and slashed wrists. Tom screamed his throat raw and fell back against the wall. His bravery left him and he sprinted out of there, leaving everything from Huck’s dad and his innocence behind._

_By the time Tom thought he was far enough away, he was already crying every emotion out of his heart. The boy fell to his knees and wailed for his best friend for what seemed like forever, but Huck didn’t come. No one did._

* * *

 

Huck and Tom sat together on Ms. Douglas’s couch, sitting so close that there was no space to separate the two. Tom’s knees shook with anxiety as he heard Huck’s foster mother speaking to his aunt on the phone. Even with Huck gripping his arm for security it didn’t seem to settle his nerves.

“It’s going to be okay,” Huck whispered into his ear as Tom lay his head on his shoulder,” nothing bad will happen”.

As the words left his lips, Ms. Douglas could be heard hanging up the phone as she walked into the living room with them. Tom had said he always liked her, even before she took Huck in and she was just known as he ‘town widow’. Ms. Douglas would help all the kids at Sunday school with their prayers and bible readings, and make sure none of them were bored out of their minds at church. Everyone loved her, it was impossible not to.

“I just got off the phone with your aunt,” the woman sat across from Tom and put a comforting hand on his bouncing knee.

Tom seemed swallowed any of his remaining phobias and took a shaky breath,” what did she say?”

“She’s allowing you to stay the night,” Ms. Douglas said,” but she emphasized you two sleeping in separate rooms for…reasons”.

Looking over, Tom saw Huck’s face go red, and he burst into laughter. Ms. Douglas smiled at the scene, and patted Tom’s knee in a motherly manner.

“Tom,” Ms. Douglas stopped the endearing moment,” may I speak to Huckleberry alone for a second?”

The boys looked at each other for reassurance, and Tom sat up and left the room, leaving empty space and awkwardness. Ms. Douglas took Tom’s seat and tapped on her knees, clearly trying to find her words.

“So…,” the woman tried her best to break the silence,” you and Tom?”

Huck got what she was trying to say and nodded, his eyes welling up with hot tears. Ms. Douglas followed Tom’s actions and gripped Huck’s arm, trying anything she could do to comfort him.

“I want you to know, you can tell me anything and I’ll never be mad at you, Huckleberry”.

The boy looked at her in surprise, blinking back any tears that wanted to fall,” you’re not mad…that I like a boy?”

Ms. Douglas ran her fingers through her foster son’s hair and smiled,” God says to love everyone, and you’ll still be Huckleberry Finn no matter what”.

Huck let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding and let out a sigh of relief,” thank you, it means a lot”.

“Of course, Huckleberry”.

Before Huck got up to meet Tom in the other room, he stopped in his tracks and looked back at Ms. Douglas, a small smile creeping on his lips.

“You can call me Huck”.

With a warming glow that seemed to tear down more of Huck’s wall, Ms. Douglas nodded.

“Okay…Huck”.

* * *

 

The sky was dark outside and the chilled autumn air snuck its way in. Huck lay tucked away in his bed, the blankets covering most of his face as he scrolled through his new phone. He realized he’d never owned something so expensive, and the thing was never leaving his side.

The boy had been texting Joe to pass the time away, sending pointless memes back and forth for their own amusement, until Joe actually started a real conversation.

**[ Huck, you mind if I ask ya something??? ].**

Huck felt a lump form in his throat as he shakily replied with a yes, only to get an immediate response.

 **[ You and Tom like each other??? ]** As soon as Joe’s text came in, Huck felt his stomach twist into knots as he jammed his fingers on the screen to reply.

 **[ Yeah, I’m sorry ]** Huck quickly typed **[ Please don’t tell anyone, and please don’t be mad ]**

**[ Why would I be mad??? ].**

As much as Huck wanted to just put the phone away and forget the entire thing, he still punched in his reply **[ Tom is your friend, and he’s liking a boy like me. I know I’m not good enough and I reckon everyone else knows too ].**

 **[ Don’t be stupid ]** came through the phone **[ You and Tom spent every waking second together before you left. If he should be loving anyone, it should be you. You’re awesome, Huck, don’t forget that ]**

The boy felt himself grinning until it was almost painful. Huck shut off the phone and held it to his chest, feeling warm and blissful to the core. He almost didn’t realize it when the door opened and footsteps could be heard from behind him.

“Hey,” Tom’s voice could be heard from the doorway,” you awake?”

Huck turned and nodded, only to give him a questioning look,” why aren’t you asleep, everything alright?”

The russet boy shrugged his shoulders,” couldn’t sleep” then he sheepishly smirked and playfully kicked his foot,” actually I just wanted to see you, unless it’s a bother then I’ll go- “

“No,” Huck cut him off and made a spot for him in the bed,” stay here tonight”.

Tom crawled under the covers with and laced a leg around him and a hand through his hair. Huck followed his action and wrapped his arms around the other boy, taking in his warmth and pulling himself close. The two boys brought their foreheads together and let their surroundings melt away. It was just them in the moment.

“What if Ms. Douglas comes in?” Huck broke the comforting silence with the question,” she said we couldn’t sleep in the same room…”

“If she comes in I’ll leave, but until then I want to stay here with you”.

He brought his lips to the other boys, taking Huck’s breath away. Tom shifted his weight so that he was looking down at him, and Huck thought he could’ve easily been swallowed by Tom’s warm brown eyes, and he would object. Their lips met again, this time with Tom trailing his way downwards until his mouth met his jaw. Huck shivered under the touch, and reluctantly pulled him away so they could face each other eye to eye.

A string of saliva hung connected Tom’s mouth to Huck’s neck as he finally pulled away, looking up at the boy underneath him.

“Is everything okay?” Tom whispered into his ear as he wiped the spit away.

“Y-yeah it’s just…” Huck tried to catch his breath,” I-I’m nervous”.

Tom nodded and went to laying by his side again,” I’ll never do anything you’re not ready for”.

There was a beat of silence when Huck stuffed his face into the crook of Tom’s neck, breathing in the scent of his musty pajamas and traces of cologne. His hair tickled Tom’s face as they twirled their feet around the others. If Huck could take a camera and preserve the moment forever, he would. He would relive it for as long as he could and never live another painful moment again.

“This is nice,” Huck mumbled against Tom as he mummed in agreement.

“Can I tell you I love you?”, he asked the boy snuggled into his neck, laughing when the dark-haired boy faced him with a blush painted face.

“Y-you just did”.

"Well let me say it formally,” Tom let out a giggle and cupped a hand on Huck’s cheek,” I love you”.

Huck kissed Tom’s nose despite his face being as hot as fire, wrapping their arms around each other once more. Both boys would agree they were in true bliss.

“I love you too”.

* * *

 

Becky Thatcher watched Joe text away on his phone through their Skype call, his face looking staticky from time to time. When he finally shoved his phone back in his pocket, Joe fell back against the chair with a sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair.

“What did Huck say?” Becky asked, supporting her head on her hands against her desk.

“He seemed nervous about him and Tom, but that’s what I expected,” he scratched the back of his neck and sighed once more,” but I assured him there’s nothing to worry about”.

“Good,” Becky nodded,” it might seem weird, but he’s a lot like the little brother I’ve always wanted”.

Joe hummed in agreement and sat up, cracking every joint possible before he spoke again.

“Did you hear about Amy Lawrence and Huck?”

With that, Becky’s expression grew dark and sullen as she crossed her arms across her chest,” yeah I did. God, I hate her”.

The boy on the computer seemed surprised by Becky’s sudden change of attitude, “never seen you talk so negativity about someone”.

“She used to bully me any chance she got, made my life a living hell I’ll tell you,” she slammed her fists down on her lap and growled in annoyance,” god she’s such a bitch!”

“Yikes, sugar,” Joe’s eyebrows were raised in astonishment,” I reckon I’ve never heard you swear either”.

Becky huffed out an exhausted breath and pushed her hair out of her face,” Sorry”.

“Don’t be sorry, she hurt you, you can hate that ‘bitch’ all you’d like,” the brunette boy teased, only to be interrupted by his own yawn.

“I think I’ll head to bed,” Joe said, his sleepiness clear in his voice,” you should too, it’s late”.

“You’re right,” Becky agreed, holding back a yawn herself,” goodnight, Joe”.

“Goodnight, honey”, and with that, the screen went black, leaving Becky alone in her room.

She fell back against her chair and couldn’t stop the silly grin that decorated her face, the red rouge following right behind. The girl sighed with happiness as the nickname ‘honey’ seemed to echo itself throughout her head. She liked it. She liked it a lot.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this with a fever so if there is any grammatical errors I apologize, I'll fix it when I don't feel hot and woozy lol.  
> Also I'm a huge theater nerd, and I love the Huck Finn musical "Big River". Y'all should listen to it, it's great.  
> I hope you all enjoyed, and have a great day! <3


	10. Confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so bad with procrastinating ahhhh

Tom was a heavy sleeper. Most of his nights were filled with uninterrupted snoring and light sleep talk. Aunt Polly thought that if the house was falling down the boy could still be found snoozing away under the covers.

Except when he felt Huck begin to thrash and whimper in his sleep. Tom’s eyes fluttered open when he felt hands gripping onto his night shirt and heard cries from beside him. The copper haired boy felt his chest tighten as he flew his hands onto Huck, gently trying to shake him awake.

“Pap…pap…pap!” Huck sounded terrified and began throwing his limbs around, almost punching Tom in the face,” leave him alone!”

“Huck, wake up!” Tom quickly sat up and began shaking him more vigorously,” it’s just a dream!”

“STOP!”

“HUCK FINN!”

At that, Huck’s tear-stricken eyes shot open as he gasped for air, tumbling out of bed and scrambling to compose himself. His pajamas clung to him with sweat and his hair stuck to his neck like adhesive. Tom’s throat seemed to close up at the sight as he crept closer, only to be heartbroken at the look of terror in Huck’s eyes. The boy cowered like a puppy that had been kicked too many times.

Tom followed him to the floor and held him, feeling the other boy shaking in his lap. Huck was clutching his companion’s shirt as if his life depended on it and letting go meant letting go forever. Tom reached his hands up Huck’s shirt and began rubbing his hands up and down his back in comforting circles as he whispered assurances into his ear.

“I didn’t know you had nightmares…” Tom’s voice was a mumble through Huck’s hair.

“I-I’m sorry”, Huck couldn’t have seemed to stop his stuttering,” I-I should’ve told you, it was selfish- “

“Shh, no it’s fine,” the boy hushed him and continued to let his fingers glide up and down Huck’s back, causing him to shiver under the touch,” I promise it’s fine, Huck”.

“Can you tell me what it was about?” Tom asked,” the dream, I mean”.

Huck was silent for a moment, seemingly trying to work up the courage to open his mouth again. Not before taking enough deep breaths, he began.

“P-pap, he, um, he was hurting you”.

“…me?”

“Yeah,” Huck slammed his eyes shut to prevent anymore tears, but failed as some were able to slip through and fall down his face in rivers,” he almost killed you, Tom”.

At first Tom felt as if he was frozen in place, his breath hitched and his hands felt cold. It took him a minute to take hold of himself, letting out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

“It was just a dream. Your daddy’s gone for good, he ain’t going to be hurting me…or you”.

“I still see him though,” Huck’s voice trembled along with his body,” when I close my eyes I see his fist full of cowhide, o-or when I look in the mirror and see those stupid scars on my ass and back. Hell, I can even hear his voice too!”

“Huck- “.

“I can’t seem to shake him, Tom!” he cried into his partners chest,” I don’t know what to do!”

“Look at me,” Tom cupped Huck’s chin in his hand and brought his face to his, his brown eyes meeting Huck’s blue ones in an unbroken gaze.

“You’ve been through more than most adults have, and I can’t even begin to tell you how strong you are. Huck, you’ve been to hell and back and you’re still kickin’! I know you can’t forget what your daddy did to you, but I will be there with you every step of the way to help you cope. I know you can do it, baby”.

It took a minute for Huck to nod, his tears beginning to slow as the last ones finished rolling off his cheeks. The two sat together for a few moments while Huck tried to control is panting and hyperventilating. Tom kept Huck’s hand to his chest, letting him feel his heart beat just like before. The boys were silent, only letting their breaths be heard.

“…I didn’t wake up Ms. Douglas, did I?” Huck’s voice was barely above a whisper when he asked.

“I doubt it,” Tom shrugged and sat up against the bed,” we weren’t so loud, and I think she’d come in here if we woke her”.

Huck sat across from him, his legs crossed and his face red from shame. Tom leaned in and cupped Huck’s hand in his own in an attempt to settle the boy’s nerves.

“Are you going to be okay?”

Huck nodded his head and let out a meek ‘yeah’.

“Can you give me a smile?” Tom smirked and teased, trying to lighten up the mood.

The smile Huck gave him seemed forced and lopsided, like an awkward cartoon drawing that needed to be erased and fixed. Tom sighed and let out a ‘tsk’, playfully shaking his head.

“That won’t do,” Tom grinned and pulled Huck’s foot closer to him,” I’ll help you with it”.

The boy tickled the bottom of Huck’s bare foot and played with his toes, loving it when he immediately burst into bubbly giggles. Huck pulled his foot from Tom’s grasp and jokingly kicked his belly.

“Like I said, Hucky,” Tom brought his hand to Huck’s face and rubbed his cheek with the pad of his thumb comfortingly,” I’ll be there with you every step of the way. I promise”.

* * *

 

When Huck woke up from the morning light and crisp autumn air finding its way into his room, he found himself snuggled into Tom’s chest. Tom had himself wrapped around him like a blanket, their limbs tangled with warmth and love. Huck heard the other boy mumble in his sleep, and he ran his fingers through Tom’s hair, playing with each wild russet twirl.

“Tom,” Huck whispered into his ear like a quiet brush of wind,

Tom mumbled out what seemed like a whine and shoved his face in the pillows, burying himself away from the morning. Huck grinned and trailed his fingers up the other boy’s shirt, tickling Tom’s belly to wake him up. The giggles, at first muffled in the pillow, grew louder and louder until Tom had to bat Huck’s hands away.

“H-Hucky!” his boyish laughter echoed throughout the room,” c-cut it out, I’m awake!”

“Revenge,” Huck couldn’t help but smile and continue.

Finally pulling his hands away, Huck intertwined his hands with Tom’s, letting the other boy plant a kiss on his lips. It was quick and simple, but Tom’s lips were still soft against his own, a smile felt between the kiss.

“Good morning,” Tom said above a whisper and smooshed his nose to the other boys, earning a giggle from Huck,” are you feeling better since last night?”

“Thanks to you,” Huck said with a grin.

Both of them almost jumped out of their skin when they heard the door open, only to reveal Ms. Douglas standing in the door way. It didn’t take more than a second for her cheeks to glow with pink rouge and her eyes to avert in embarrassment. Huck could feel his heart pounding out of his chest, and he guessed Tom’s was as well.

“I, um,” Ms. Douglas cleared her throat as she tried to hide her embarrassment,” breakfast is ready”.

When she left without haste, Tom busted into laughter as Huck wanted to hide under his covers and die from embarrassment. Great start to the morning, he thought.

The two boys raced down the stairs together after throwing on clothes and bounded into the kitchen. Huck saw that Tom was practically drooling over the feast that the woman had laid out onto the table. Everything from pancakes to fruit to eggs could be found, and Tom seemed to be trying to hold himself back from digging in.

“Tom, you can eat all you like,” Ms. Douglas’s smile could be heard in her voice,” Huck, could I speak to you for a moment?”

Huck tried to muster up any courage he had left as he found his feet walking towards his foster mother. Despite the tense atmosphere he thought would be present, Ms. Douglas still gave off her usual maternal warmth that made Huck’s worries melt away.

“Huck,” she said in a low tone,” you two didn’t…do anything, right”.

The boy shook his head, sending his dark wild,” no, I promise we didn’t. I’m sorry he slept in my bed, but I swear nothing happened.

Ms. Douglas sighed with relief as she let out a nervous chuckle, running a hand through her golden hair. The woman reached out and patted Huck’s shoulder comfortingly and smiled.

“You’re a good kid,” she said, sending Huck’s chest into a spiral of warmth. As he watched her walk over to the table and join Tom at the table, he felt the corners of his mouth twitch upwards and his cheeks turn pink.

Seeing the two most important people in his life smiling and laughing together was so damn domestic it could send Huck merrily skipping around the house like the kid he was.

* * *

 

The school halls were filled with loud and hormonal teenagers racing to the lunchroom, running past Huck, Tom, and Joe sitting up against the lockers. Tom and Joe were throwing balls of papers at the kids passing, while Huck had to put his face in his hands to hide his laughter.

“C’mon Hucky,” Tom pulled Huck’s hands away from his face, laughing the entire time while doing it,” don’t hide your face, you are beau-ti-ful!”

Joe could be seen behind him pretending to gag and point a finger down his throat. Tom whipped around and began play fist fighting him, which then turned into a full-blown wrestling match. Huck never thought he would act like such a typical teenage boy in his life.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Huck stood up and looked at the other two,” the English teacher is letting me borrow his copy of ‘The Outsiders’. If it’s not a bother, could you read it to me, Tom?”

Tom pinned Joe underneath him and grinned at his companion,” it would be an honor, my dearest”.

Huck laughed and began making his way down the hall towards his locker, doing his best to avoid eye contact with anyone and everyone. It was only he saw Amy Lawrence leaning up against his locker that he froze in place, his breath leaving him.

The girl let out an annoyed sighed and massaged her temple,” I told you Tom and I was talkin’ before you came back to town, so why do I see you and him hand holdin’ down the hall?”

He couldn’t find the strength to respond as his heart climbed into his throat.

“You seriously think you can come back after four years and just muck up Tom and everyone?” Amy gave him a condescending smirk and shook her head,” I liked Tom before you came back, so get lost, foster rat”.

“Leave him alone!”

Both of the teens turned their heads, only to be met with Becky Thatcher making her way towards them, a look of anger blazing in her eyes. Though seeing his friend made Huck feel relieved, he couldn’t help but tense up at Becky’s furious persona.

Becky stood inches from Amy and jammed a finger to her chest,” what gives you the right to talk to him like that? Get away from him”.

Amy growled and folded her hands across her chest, her face darkening dangerously,” mind your own business, bitch”.

“He’s my friend, it is my business”.

Huck felt his stomach drop into his shoes when he saw Amy’s hands fly to the other girls top, gripping and throwing her backwards as if she was just a rag doll.

“Just get outta here!” she yelled in anger, causing her voice to crack.

“Hey Hucky, what’s taking you so long?”

Tom could be seen making his way down the hall with Joe behind him, only to stop in his tracks at the sight of Amy. His face fell and his brow scrunched up in frustration.

“Leave them alone, Amelia”, his voice was dangerously low and serious, sending a chill up everyone’s spine.

“Seriously?!” Amy threw her hands up in frustration and laughed sarcastically,” So now that the infamous abused son of the old town drunk is back, you’re just going to forget all the times we talked? Seriously!?”

Tom pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance and groaned,” Yeah, we might have had somethin’, but it’s gone now. So, leave Huck alone already!”

Huck wanted to scream when he saw Amy raise her hand and try to bring it down onto Tom’s face, only to be interrupted by Becky shoving her into the lockers, a dead look of anger plastered in her eyes.

“Whatever, fine!” Amy stormed off, not forgetting to cuss at every last one of them.

Even when she was gone, the air was still hard and tense among the four of them. Huck could feel his eyes well up with tears, but his hid face with his sleeve as he composed himself enough to face himself.

“I’m sorry,” Huck let out a shaking breath and wiped his nose on his sleeve,” f-for causing problems like that”.

“No!” Tom went up to him and put his hands-on Huck’s shoulders,” None of that was your fault. Amy is always causing problems, and if she hurts you, come straight to me!”

“And you,” Tom turned to Becky, his face full of concern,” are you okay”.

“I’m good,” Becky nodded, only to have a smile creep onto her face,” I’ve always wanted to shove that girl”.


	11. Opening Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes this was late I'm sorry. This weekend was super busy.  
> Also to the girl who messaged me and told me Huck Finn and my story was garbage and that I should stop writing: I love this story, I love Huck Finn, and I love everyone who reads this story, so fuck you.

_If Huck Finn wasn’t with Tom Sawyer, the six-year-old could’ve been found hiding by the river. Most nights the boy spent his time curled up in a hogs-head barrel with his eyes squeezed shut to try and sleep, his body trembling from the cold and his heart pointing from the occasional twig that would snap around him. If anyone saw him, they would comment on how small he looked. How fragile and helpless he looked._

_One morning would be different for Huck, however. He awoke as usual and climbed his way out of his uncomfortable-yet-satisfactory makeshift bed only to find a young face standing above him. His height and faced told Huck he was around the same age, but he looked as if he weighed the same as a baby, all lanky and skinny. Golden blond hair grew out in thick tuffs and brightened up his face just like his green eyes. He looked nice enough, Huck thought._

_Huck raised a questioning eyebrow at the boy,” hiya”._

_“Hiya!”_

_Huck immediately thought the boy was way to energetic for this early in the morning as he observed his sunny smile._

_“Anything I can do for ya, kid?”_

_“I ain’t a kid, I’m seven and a half”._

_“Well, I’m six and I’m a kid”._

_“What a shame. My mama says I’m a young man, so I ain’t a kid”._

_Holding back the urge to roll his eyes, Huck began to walk past him and strip himself of his clothes until all he was wearing was his pride. He stepped his way into the river and begun to dunk his head under and scrub his body._

_The blond boy followed him to the edge and peered over at him ,”why you in the river”._

_“Gotta take a bath”._

_“Why in the river? The bath at your house must be better”._

_Huck didn’t bother to respond, he was getting too anxious._

_“Doesn’t your mama give you baths?”_

_Huck thought of throwing a rock at him, or drowning himself. Either one was an option._

_“Why you got all ‘dem scars”._

_“Who even is you, blondie!” Huck threw his leg out and kicked water at the other boy, sending him stumbling back,” shouldn’t you be with your mama or something’?”_

_The sunny boy shook his head, his blond locks falling into his eyes and making him look more innocent,” she’s working, and so is daddy. Who’s your daddy? Mine runs the general store, maybe you know him”._

_The question went unanswered, causing a sigh from the mysterious boy,” you don’t talk much, do you?”_

_Huck couldn’t help but feel embarrassed and sunk farther down into the water,” I talk enough”._

_“My names Ben Rogers, what’s your name, friend?”_

_“I only got one friend, and it ain’t you”._

_“Who is he?”_

_“Tom Sawyer, and he’s the bestest boy in the whole wide world”._

_Ben Rogers grew an even bigger smile then Huck thought was possible,” he’s in my school, he is. He’s in first grade. I’m in second grade, though. Why aren’t you in first grade?”_

_“I is, I went last week”._

_“Why not every day, though?”_

_Huck was just about ready to slam his head into a tree and scream his throat raw,” because reasons, that’s why!”._

_“You don’t gotta be rude, and I asked you what was your name?” Ben’s brow grew lines of frustration,” you gotta name, don’t ya?”_

_“It’s Huck, Huck Finn”._

_The two were silent for a moment as Huck tried to read the darkened expression that formed on Ben Rogers’ face. His green eyes seemed to lose its shine and the corners of his mouth turned into a frown. The space between them became uncomfortable and cold despite the warm weather, as if emotions could cause a cold front. Huck began to get anxious and shake something awful, worrying if he’d done something wrong._

_“I gotta go,” Ben Rogers said at last ,”I can’t hang around you”._

_As much as Huck wanted to Ben to leave before, now all he wanted was to grab his wrist and play with him._

_Huck tried to get any reason he could to get the boys attention, “why? We could play pirates, Tom loves pirates. Or baseball or tag or- “._

_“My mama says I’m not allowed to play with Huckleberry Finn,” Ben’s words bit him like a snake,” she says you is a bad kid”._

_Ben Rogers continued on, “most mamas don’t like you, so you’re lucky Tom Sawyer don’t got a mama so you can still play with him”._

_Without even say goodbye, Ben Rogers hooked his thumbs in his pockets and made a dash for town, leaving Huck to stare at the ground in burning humiliation and despair. The sight of his bare feet began to blur as he eyes watered and tears plopped on the ground. In a moment of rage, Huck screamed his at the top of his lungs and stamped on the ground, calling Ben Rogers every cuss word he had ever heard his father say._

_He finished it off with a cherry and screamed,” Tom’s better anyways!”_

* * *

 

“Here,” Ms. Douglas said as she handed Aunt Polly a cup of coffee, though the woman was very open about how she preferred tea.

Ms. Douglas had invited Aunt Polly over while the boys were at school, though there were multiplie reasons why. A show of kindness was the first one, she thought, but most importantly she was doing this for Huck, and for Tom, too.

“How was Tom last night?” Aunt Polly asked in between sips,” did the boy cause you any trouble?”

“None at all, he’s a good boy”.

When she saw Aunt Polly roll her eyes, Ms. Douglas’s eye began to twitch with annoyance,” he’s a trouble-maker, that one”.

“You’re hard on him,” it was an understatement, but she was not about to be on bad terms with Aunt Polly,” he’s nice, a young gentleman”.

Aunt Polly stared into her drink and furrowed her brow with intent,” am I? I don’t know”.

“Well, when was the last time you told him you loved him?”

“While ago. Was going to tell him last night”.

Ms. Douglas shook her head and let blond strands of hair loose,” that wouldn’t’ve been a good time, you know”.

It felt weird to her to be giving parenting advice to a woman who had been raising two boys ever since Sid was born, which was a little more than fourteen years ago. Aunt Polly wasn’t old enough to be a grandmother, but she still had Ms. Douglas beat in age by a few years. Tom’s aunt was a plump woman with rounder features, all from her face to her waist line. Her dull brown hair was littered with snow-white streaks and round glasses sat at the end of her nose.

Aunt Polly nodded in agreement,” sometimes I wonder if my sister were still around, would her kids be better off? She would know what to do with ‘em”.

“I feel the same way with Huck sometimes, that if my husband were still here maybe he’d know what to do,” Ms. Douglas’s voice turned hush and somber.

“You sayin’ Huck causes problems?”

“No, never, he just has some demons I don’t have experience getting rid of”.

Aunt Polly sighed and took her bun out, letting Ms. Douglas see just how curly her hair actually was before she spoke,” how come you never had kids of your own?”

Ms. Douglas couldn’t help but feel her heart fill with a melancholic grip. She didn’t plan on talking about herself, she wanted to talk about the boys and nothing else, but she still found herself talking.

“Infertility,” she spoke so low it was a miracle Aunt Polly heard her.

“You?”

“No, my husband was,” Ms. Douglas swallowed her grief and continued on,” it broke his heart when he found out, he thought he was a failure as a man”.

“No war veteran is a failure as a man,” Aunt Polly said ,"a hero, he was".

The two women sat in silent for a moment, the tension seeming to grow thicker and thicker as they awkwardly drank their coffee. She didn’t know when the last time she talked about her husband so openly was, but even as the years go on it still hurt to say his name.

“So,” Ms. Douglas was the one to shatter the silence,” Huck and Tom”.

Aunt Polly nodded without a word.

“Polly, they’re going to see each other no matter what you say,” she couldn’t help but let out a chuckle,” those boys love each other, and love does things that you and I can’t stop”.

“Still, wouldn’t you have Huck be datin’ that Rebecca Thatcher girl? Or another nice girl like her?”

Thinking about it for a moment, Ms. Douglas was still adamant that she didn’t care, saying that as long as Huck’s happy everything will work out.

The older woman looked down at her coffee for a moment before closing her eyes and letting out an exhausted sigh.

“If you’re okay with the boys datin’, then I guess I am too”, Aunt Polly softy said, as if saying something like that any louder would have been embarrassing.

Ms. Douglas couldn’t help the huge smile that could reach ear to ear to appear on her face as she sighed in relief. It was as if a heavy ball of lead had been lifted off her chest and she was able to take a full breath again.

“Anything you should tell me before I head out?” Aunt Polly asked as she finished up her drink.

“Just,” Ms. Douglas put a hand on Aunt Polly’s forearm to show understanding and support,” be nicer to Tom. He needs it”.

* * *

 

Ms. Douglas stood beside her foster son as he dug through the racks of boy clothes in front of her, throwing them over her arms if she found Huck’s size. Huck had insisted the over-sized clothes she had bought previous to his arrival were perfectly fine, but his foster mother wouldn’t have it. She told him she wanted the best for him, and wanted clothes that he liked and suited him. If it was up to Huck, that would be no shoes and overalls like a ragamuffin.

When he told Ms. Douglas what he liked, he was surprised to see her on board with him dressing like a farm boy. “It’s whatever you like”, she said.

While Huck stood in the dressing room surveying his choice of clothing, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket multiple times, meaning someone was spamming his phone with texts. For anyone else this would be annoying, but Huck was always glad when someone talked to him

Huck saw that all of them were from Tom.

**[ Huck ]**

**[ Hucky ]**

**[ Baby ]**

**[ Angelcakes ]**

**[ Darling ]**

**[ My one and only ]**

And Huck’s absolute favorite:

**[ My sweet sweet apple pie with vanilla ice cream ]**

The boy texted back what was up, only to get an immediate back from Tom saying he needed to talk to him. Huck quickly jammed his fingers onto the screen and replied, asking him about what.

**[ Aunt Polly said Ms. Douglas talked to her today ]**

Huck didn’t have to look in the mirror to know that he looked confused and dumbfounded. He leaned up against the dressing room door and called out to Ms. Douglas.

“What is it? Does something not fit?” he heard her voice through the door.

“N-No, it’s, um,” Huck took a deep breath before starting again,” did you talk to Tom’s Aunt Polly today?”.

There was a silence before she said that she did.

“Tom’s not in trouble, if that’s what you’re thinking”, Ms. Douglas reassured him, causing him to let out a sigh of relief,” I was convincing her to let Tom be with you”.

Huck opened the door and looked at her in shock, his eyes pricking with tears as the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile he couldn’t stop. He couldn’t even express how grateful he was even if he tried, so he thanked her so many times he lost count.

“I-I don’t know how I could ever repay you”.

Ms. Douglas looked at him with a look that made his heart warm. He never noticed how pretty she was.

“Just smile more, it’s all I want from you, Huck”, she said and pushed the hair out of his face.

“So,” she continued,” is that the outfit you like? Overalls and a button up?”

Huck nodded and looked down at his attire,” there’s other stuff but I really like this outfit. Makes me look like Scout Finch”.

The woman let out a heartwarming chuckle,” so you’re reading _To Kill a Mockingbird_? I love that book”.

“Mhm, Tom’s helping me read it. It’s really good”.

Ms. Douglas gathered all his clothes into the shopping cart and casually wrapped an arm around Huck’s shoulder, smiling down at him.

“You boys sure are something special”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly I can't stress enough how much this story and all of your comments help me. I don't want to bore you with details, but I've been extremely stressed and anxious lately, to the point where I have had multiple panic attacks in school the past week. I was even still stressed before writing, but after actually doing it I feel relaxed and collected, and then rereading all your comments made me even more calm.  
> Also I was thinking of turning this into a series. Like after I finish this story I have shorter stories that could go along with it like:  
> A school dance  
> Mothers day  
> fathers day  
> School sports  
> Dates or fights
> 
> just stuff like that. Let me know what you guys think in the comments!:)  
> P.S. does anyone else adore To Kill a Mockingbird. It's a close second favorite of mine, right behind Huck Finn.


	12. Family Matters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Jim!!!

"I brought supper up for you, Tom”.

Tom turned from where he sat on his bedroom floor to see his younger brother Sid standing in the door way with a bowl of rice and beans in his hands. Whenever Tom got a good look at his brother, he found it hard to believe neither of them were adopted, even if they were only half-siblings. While Tom’s hair was a fiery russet with sun kissed freckled skin, Sid’s hair was an ebony black that was always combed and gelled with skin as fair as snow. It seemed the only thing that they shared was their warm brown eyes. Eyes that their father had.

Sid handed him the bowl and sat down beside him, watching Tom practically engulf his food. That was another thing that they didn’t share; Tom was always in a rush, but Sid liked to take his time.

“Don’t eat so fast, you’ll choke,” Sid let out a sigh, as if he was the older brother instead.

Tom ignored him, and instead asked,” can you go get me some adobo?”

“Get it yourself, it’s in the kitchen”.

Thinking for a moment, Tom just shrugged his shoulders and said he didn’t need it then.

“You know,” Sid crossed his legs as he spoke,” you can’t avoid Aunt Polly forever”.

“Shut up, Sid,” Tom was talking with his mouth full, which his brother found disgusting.

“I’m not kidding, moron,” the ebony haired boy punched his russet brothers arm,” you make things worse by avoiding it”.

“And can you blame her?” Sid continued,” out of everyone…you chose Huckleberry Finn? He doesn’t have the best reputation, y’know”.

Without warning, Tom leaned in and punched his brother in the stomach, his fist driving the air out of him. Sid’s eyes immediately widen and he doubled over in pain, clutching his belly and groaning.

“What was that for!?”

Tom shrugged his shoulders as if nothing happened,” talk shit, get hit”.

Sid shot him a glare that Tom would’ve found to be threatening if he hadn’t beaten up his little brother so many times before.

“You’re ridiculous,” Sid growled under his breath.

“I’m ridiculous? You’re the one judging Huck because of how he was brought up!”

“I didn’t mean it like that- “

“How the hell would you like it if someone made fun of you for not having parents?” Tom spat, his words brimming with annoyance and venom,” you wouldn’t like it, now would you?”

“Alright, I’m sorry,” Sid scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed,” you’re right”.

“I know I’m right”, Tom sighed and looked down in his lap, like he was entering his thoughts again,” he’s such an amazing person, I don’t get why everyone insists on treating him like garbage”.

“I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to- “.

“I forgive you, but it’s everyone else. Foster families, kids at school, adults in town. They all insist on acting like he’s some black mark in their lives,” Tom grumbled under his breath and gripped his knees in frustration,” I can’t stand it”.

“I don’t what to say,” Sid admitted and shrugged,” only that people will judge no matter what”.

“Strong words for someone who just insulted him,” Tom’s eyes rolled.

“I thought you said you forgave me!”

“I do, but I’m still going to harass you,” Sid could practically hear the smirk in Tom’s voice,” what’re brothers for?”

Sid stuck his tongue out and heaved himself to his feet, making his way towards the door. Before making his way out, he looked back at Tom with a solemn look.

“You will talk to Aunt Polly, right?” it seemed it wasn’t much of a question, more like a request.

“Eventually, yeah,” Tom obliged and pulled out his phone,” I’m going to call Huck first, though”.

Sid laughed,” you were with him all yesterday and today, and you still want to talk to him? Can’t you spend time away from him even just a little?”

It was only when Tom started throwing books at his brother did Sid finally leave him alone so he could actually call his companion. It was cheesy, but Tom always smiled at Huck’s contact name, especially since he put hearts next to it.

It only took a few rings until he heard a small voice answer through the phone.

“Tom?” even through the phone, Tom still loved hearing Huck’s voice.

“The one and only”, the russet boy laughed, “how was shopping with Ms. Douglas?”

“It was good,” Tom could practically hear the smile in his boyfriends voice,” it’s nice to spend time with her”.

“You like living with her, don’t you?”

“Mhm,” there was a pause before Huck laughed and said,” I feel safe, I guess”.

Tom couldn’t help but smile ear to ear,” I’m so glad, Huck”.

“Can I ask you,” he continued,” did you like any of your other foster homes?”

Huck didn’t say anything, only silence came through the phone.

“Y-you don’t have to say if you don’t want to,” Tom retracted, afraid he upset him.

“N-no, it’s fine,” Huck finally said, his voice sounding more distant than before,” It’s just that …none of them were good”.

“I understand,” he told him,” if you ever want to talk, I’m here, Huck”.

“I do want to talk about it, actually,” Huck said,” get it off my chest, y’know?”

“Of course”.

Huck took a deep breath and began. He told him about the tow-headed siblings who forced him out, leaving him with bruises and cigarette burns. He told him about the family that burned his pictures of Tom and called him a faggot. Finally, he told him about the family that wouldn’t give him food if he got bad grades. Tom assumed from the pain in his voice that he meant he went hungry a lot.

“Oh my god”, Tom was in such awe and disgust that he wanted to hold the other boy forever,” I’m sorry…that I couldn’t be there for you”.

“Don’t blame yourself, in the end I probably deserved it, anyways”.

“For what? Huck, minor indiscretions don’t justify treating you like garbage. Ain’t your fault, none of it is!” Tom realized it sounded like he was pleading with him. Probably because he was. All he wanted was for Huck to feel safe and not to hate himself like he did, and if begging would by some miracle work was willing to drop down on his knees and do just that.

“There was one family that wasn’t so bad,” Huck moved on from the subject,” they yelled at me a lot and hit me some, but all in all not bad people”.

“What were they like?” Tom asked. As much as he wanted to go back and help Huck with self-love, it was clear Huck wasn’t in the mood.

“It was an older couple whose kids already had their own kids,” he said,” the man was a lot better than woman. He was nicer, he wouldn’t yell and hit like his wife would. He even let me call him Johnny and taught me piano”.

Tom will vouch that he was listening to everything Huck said, but as soon as he heard the word piano, that was all that was on the boy’s mind. Everything else seemed to go out the window.

“Wait, you play piano?” Tom’s jaw dropped as his eyes lit up in excitement,” Hucky that’s awesome!”

“Yeah, yeah, I do,” Huck chuckled,” did I never tell you?”

“I don’t think you ever did, but that’s seriously so cool!” if Tom was upset before, he certainly wasn’t anymore,” you know I’m in the school band, right?”

“Yeah, I remember”, Huck said,” you play trombone, right?”

“Trumpet, actually,” Tom scoffed and pretended to be offended,” trombones are for chumps. They’re practically giant slide whistles”.

That got Huck bust out into belly laughs, and soon Tom joined in. Tom didn’t realize how much he missed Huck’s laughter over the year. It was euphoric, almost.

“Becky plays loads of instrument, but in the band, she plays the clarinet, and Joe plays drums and other percussion instruments,” he told the other boy. Tom could go on and on about music.

“You should really join,” he continued,” a piano would be an awesome edition to band”.

“You think so?”

“I know so,” Tom giggled out, and his chest filled with a warm flow of excitement when Huck said that he’ll ask Ms. Douglas.

“Anything else on your mind?” Tom asked, his voice still fresh from laughter.

There was a pause before Huck spoke again,” actually, yeah,” his voice seemed tight and nervous,” what happened between you and Amy Lawrence?”

Now it was Tom’s turn to stay silent for a moment and for Huck to say him he didn’t’ have to talk about it, though Tom assured him it was okay.

“It was a few months before you came back, so it was over the summer. I was playing baseball by the old batting cages, you remember those right? Anyways, she was there, since she’s a softball player, and we played together. We got to talking, and then to texting. I liked her, I guess, even if it was just a little. She looked really good in tight little sundress, y’know?”

“But,” he continued,” she wasn’t all too nice to Becky, and that was a problem. I didn’t know that Amy used to make fun of her, if I did I wouldn’t have been seeing her. Anyways, Amy told me she didn’t want me being friends with Becky anymore, saying that Becky probably liked me, or something like that. I wasn’t about to lose one of my best friends over some stupid feud, so I told her no. She didn’t like that, I guess, because she slapped me. She tried apologizing that night, but I didn’t really text back. I never did text her back. I know it ain’t right, I know. At the time I convinced myself the only reason I wasn’t talking to her was because I was upset she hit me, but now I know the other reason is that I heard the news of you coming back to St. Petersburg. I guess I didn’t want any love interests when you came back”.

Huck didn’t know what to say, except for,” holy shit”.

“Yeah,” Tom sighed in exasperation,” guess I fucked that whole thing up”.

“But even if I wasn’t coming back, you still should’ve broken up with her. She was mean to Becky, and she hit you”.

“I didn’t break up with her in the right way, though. I just flat out didn’t talk to her. She never got her closure”.

“Yeah, you didn’t”, Huck admitted,” but who’s really in the wrong here; the toxic girl who hit you and bullied one of your friends, or the boy who got slapped and liked someone else?”

Tom thought for a moment, and couldn’t help but let out a chuckle,” guess you’re right. Thanks, Hucky”.

The two boys stayed quiet for a moment, sighing with relief and comfort. What wasn’t said with words was said with presence and company. An ‘I love you’ wasn’t needed, it was implied. They both knew it.

It was only when Huck started yawning did Tom speak again.

“Get to bed, sleepyhead,” he teased,” you need it”.

“You do too”, Huck mumbled into the phone,” you better not pull an all-nighter like usual”.

“I promise. Goodnight, Hucky”.

“Goodnight, Tom”.

When the line went dead, Tom fell back against the floor and yawned himself. He hadn’t realized exactly how tired he was until his eyelids began to feel like lead. Keeping his promise to Huck wouldn’t be that hard. Before he was able to climb into bed and enter his deep sleep., Tom heard his door creak open once more. Tiredly turning his head, he was admittedly annoyed to see Aunt Polly standing there awkwardly looking down at her hands.

“Are you going to bed?” The woman asked. Tom had never heard her use such a soft voice while speaking to him.

He didn’t say anything, only nodded as he climbed under his blankets.

“I’m sorry, Tom, I really am”. That was another thing Tom had never heard her use; an apology. The boy sat up and gave her a questioning look.

“I hurt you, and in a way, I hurt Huck too, and I’m sorry. I was only thinking of myself, not you,” before finishing, Aunt Polly took a deep breath and sighed,” even if I don’t understand it, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be happy”.

“I love you, Tom,” she said, desperation in her voice,” you know that, right?”

Tom didn’t respond for a moment, he only looked down in his lap and didn’t meet his aunt’s gaze. Aunt Polly was about to leave, until she heard a meek voice behind her.

“I love you too, Aunt Polly”.

* * *

 

When Huck rose from his slumber, the sun was still low below the trees, barely poking out from the horizon. His phone told him it was barely past four in the morning, but Huck still couldn’t find himself falling back asleep. Eventually, after endless tossing and turning, the boy swung his legs over his bed and made his way to the kitchen, accepting that he was going to have an early start to the day.

Making his way into the kitchen, he was confronted by none other than Ms. Douglas sitting at the counter writing down her works in one of her many journals. Huck knew she was an early riser, but to him this was just excessive.

“Good morning, Huck,” the woman spoke as if she didn’t have a trace of exhaustion. Huck decided that she might not have been human, she was too good to be.

“Are you always up this early?” Huck yawned out and found himself climbing up on the chair next to her.

Ms. Douglas shrugged,” sometimes, not always. I just wanted to get some writing down”.

“I heard you and Tom talking last night,” Ms. Douglas said, pushing her journal away.

Huck’s eyes shot open with embarrassment as he began to sputter out as many apologies he could fit in.

“We didn’t keep you up, did we?” Huck asked as he couldn’t help but feel guilty.

“No, though it was cute to hear you two talk like love birds,” she chuckled, causing a bright red blush to creep its way on Huck’s face,” what were you boys talking about?”

“The usual. Tom wants me to join band, since I can play piano”.

In less than a second, Ms. Douglas’s face brightened like the summer sun, her eyes shining with excitement. Huck thought she looked ten years younger in that moment.

She said,” c’mon, I want to show you something”.

Huck was led through a part of the house that he hadn’t been in for the month he has lived with her. He hadn’t even seen Ms. Douglas venture into these back corridors. Huck stopped his thoughts when Ms. Douglas stopped in front of the back-room door, and Huck noticed her brow as furrowed as she held her hand over the door knob.

“You okay?” he asked her.

Ms. Douglas snapped out of her thoughts and forced a smile,” yeah, it’s just I haven’t been in this room for a long time”.

Flipping on the switch, Ms. Douglas showed Huck a sight that practically took his breath away. The room was empty and coated with a thin layer of dust, the only thing in it was a grand piano sitting proudly in the middle. It was clearly older, and probably out of tune, but it’s ebony paint and keys would make any musician call it beautiful. In that moment, Huck was one of those musicians.

“I-it’s beautiful,” Huck said, full of awe,” you play?”

“No, my husband did. Go on and play something”.

Huck sat at the piano benched and skirted his fingers over the keys, his breath low and steady as he felt the instrument. Soon he found his fingers moving on their own solely by memory. The arrangement was Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, his absolute favorite. Huck couldn’t help but imagine the old man sitting next to him, guiding his hands as he played.

The music could’ve sent Huck into tears if he wasn’t trying to compose himself. Whenever the old woman would scream at him and smack him around, this was his therapy. The boy would run to the music room and play anything he could to calm his nerves, and it worked. It was like a drug, his own special drug.

When he finished his performance, Huck looked back at Ms. Douglas for reassurance, only to find her with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. She quickly wiped away her emotions with her sleeve and took a deep breath.

“Sorry, it’s just,” Ms. Douglas wiped away one last tear and steadied her breathing,” you looked just like my husband”.

“I’m sorry…” he said, shifting awkwardly in his seat. Huck only had experience in comforting Tom, not anyone else.

“No, it’s okay. You played beautifully,” she gave him a bright smile, not deterred by the damp streaks on her face,” you should join the band”.

Ms. Douglas made her way towards the door to leave, but Huck found himself calling after her. He knew what he wanted to say, but a part of him was trying to stop himself. The woman stopped in her tracks and turned around to face her foster son.

“I-I want to tell you everything,” Huck didn’t mean to stutter so much,” e-everything from before I met you”.

_Don’t do this. She’ll leave you._

An understanding look formed on her face as she sat down next to him on the piano bench. Ms. Douglas said she was all ears, ready to listen.

The words seemed to tumble off his tongue without warning, showing that even if Huck wanted to stop himself that wasn’t going to happen. The voice pleaded with him to stop, throwing all insults his way, but Huck kept going. He told her about his father, specifically being chased around the cabin with a knife and being branded with a hot fire poker. He talked about his mother and how gentle she was, using her as foil to his father. He talked about the foster homes, and being just as much of an outcast their as when he was living in St. Petersburg. Huck left no stones unturned.

Huck talked about Tom too, telling her about the nights they spent together hunting ghosts and pretending to be highway robbers. He told her one story of how when Tom and him broke into the public pool and went swimming naked, only to be caught by the custodian who was horrified to see two kid’s bare skin, saying they were flashing God and him.

Ms. Douglas laughed at that, making Huck more comfortable talking about it all,” Huck, I’m really glad you told me all this. I’m glad you’re opening up”.

“If it’s alright, could you tell me about you?” Huck asked,” you don’t have to if you don’t want to”.

“I’m an open book. What do you want to know”?

“What happened to your husband?”

Huck noticed how her eyebrows raised ever so slightly and how her eyes look far more distant, but she spoke nonetheless.

“It was years ago, but it still feels like it happened yesterday,” Ms. Douglas sighed before starting again,” he was in the service, and everyone was so proud of him. I always prepared for when he came home, making an apple pie for him every day, since they were his favorite. He never did come home, though. A few shiny metaled men came to my door and gave me his dog tag, saying he was killed in combat. I nearly punched that guy in the face, telling him he didn’t know nothing, that my husband would come back. He never did, though”.

“You should’ve met him,” she chuckled,” he would’ve loved you. He couldn’t have kids of his own, but he always wanted a son. God, he would’ve loved to meet you”.

Huck couldn’t find the words to say anything. He didn’t want to say he was sorry. He didn’t want to say he understood, because he honestly didn’t. Their pain was different, and there was no use in comparing it.

“Well,” Ms. Douglas sighed and heaved herself to her feet once again,” you should go get dressed, since you’re up. You’ve got a big day if you’re going to try out for band”.

Huck nodded, the corners mouth turning upwards into a smile. The boy bounded up the stairs to his bedroom excitedly, holding back the urge to whoop in glee.

* * *

 

The schools band room was tucked away in the corner of the building, since the room was so big it needed its own section. Huck felt as if he was in a whole different world, or at least a different building. Paintings of every instrument he could think of decorated the halls, along with bass clefs and treble clefs. Thinking about it, Huck felt more comfortable here than any other part of the damned school.

Tom and Huck stood outside the band room, leaning against the wall as Tom tried to control the rush of Huck’s stage fright.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” Huck said as he grabbed a fistful of his own hair,” what if I’m not good enough?”

“I get that your nervous,” Tom let out a huff a breath and rubbed the back of his neck,” but you can’t spend your entire life quaking in fear”.

Huck stood there for a moment as he looked down at his feet, eventually nodding his head as he let Tom lead him into the band room.

The classroom was gigantic. The ceiling reaching so high that their voices echoed, almost like the school gym. Music stands and instruments lined the wall along with boxes full of sheet music. What really caught Huck’s eye was the multiple key boards stacked by the teacher’s desk. They practically had Huck’s name on them.

Behind the head desk sat a man whom Huck assumed was the band director. His skin was a dark wood brown, like the bark of the trees by the river. He was younger than most of the teachers, maybe in his late twenties, with a body that his button up hugged. He looked fatherly almost, like he could give off a paternal presence.

Tom practically skipped over to the man and gave him a hug, like they had been friends for years. The band director smiled warmly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Huck thought it looked like a father and son.

“Huck,” the boy said when he pulled away from the embrace,” this is our band director, the conductor. We call him Jim, though”.

The man called Jim chuckled,” yeah, the kids I’m graced to get close to call me by my first name”, he then reached out and shook Huck’s hand,” it’s good to meet you, son. Tom emailed me this morning and told me you play piano. That right?”

Quickly nodding, Huck said,” Tom says you need a pianist?”

Jim smiled and nodded, gesturing to the grand piano by his desk,” show me what you got, son”.

Not before taking a deep breath and cracking his knuckles, Huck sat down and came up with the first song that he could remember. ‘Uptown Girl’ by Billy Joel. It was the first thing the old piano teacher taught him, and it was still easy for him to play.

“Uptown girl, she’s been living in her uptown world,” Huck heard Tom sing along to the song, causing him to giggle as he played the instrument. He loved how dorky the other boy was.

Huck finished the last notes and expected Jim to lay on him with all sorts of criticism, but was shocked to hear the man’s applause behind him. He turned and saw Jim clapping and giving him praise as Tom sat down next to him and gave him a hug, kissing him on the cheek in the process.

“That was awesome!” Tom cheered,” you should’ve played piano for me long before!”.

“That was great, son,” Jim patted the piano player on the shoulder, causing Huck to let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding,” band class is tomorrow. I’m excited to see you there”.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Usually my chapters are 2,000 words (my longest was 2,500) but this one was a little over 4,000. I guess I couldn't stop writing lol.  
> I would like to say thank you for the comments on my last chapter, they made me feel so much better. I'm slowly getting better, at school and at home.  
> By the way, if anyone is interested I just posted a one-shot for To Kill a Mockingbird. It's called "Maycomb Ain't Right" and its about how Jem is after the book. It'd be amazing if y'all read it.  
> Thank you so much, and I hope you have a great day <3


	13. Waitin' for the light to shine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this was a little late (if you haven't noticed I've been trying to post on Sundays). I've had absolutely no time.

_“You ain’t never be better than yer pappy, boy,” Huck’s father spoke to him in a voice gruff from cigars and burning liquor,” I never went to no school, and neither should you”._

_The old man had told him this many times before, but when Huck saw all the other kids his age rise at the crack of dawn with backpacks and books, he was sure not to miss the chance to race alongside them to the schoolhouse. While most of the school kids gave him odd looks and avoided him, Huck was still seemingly happy to look like a regular kid off to his education._

_Huck had always barely passed through the grades, always getting a D- at the most. Very early on he was labeled a ‘problem child’ and spent most recesses inside being scolded by the teacher for bad grades or disruptive behavior in class. The boy ended up skipping most classes, which turned into skipping whole school days. It became more of a hassle to go there to learn and in turn be harassed by everyone there. Ignorant teachers would yell at him for being clumsy when they saw his bruises, everything completely flying over their heads as to what was really going on._

_It was the first week of his seventh year when he finally began to give up in his academic career. He never got above a D, if even that, and no one bothered to talk to him let alone help him. He was the outcast in town and the outcast in school._

_It was Friday when Huck’s teacher Mr. Dobbins had called him in during his lunch, which all kids knew meant they were in deep trouble. When Huck walked in, Mr. Dobbins put away his medical textbooks and gave Huck a stern look, one that adults give kids when they ‘fucked up’._

_“Huckleberry,” his voice was nasally when he spoke,” It’s only been a week of school and I’ve already heard complaints about you”._

_The inner Huck rolled his eyes and told his teacher to suck it, but on the outside Huck only nodded and kept his head down._

_Mr. Dobbins continued,” you’ve skipped school already, you don’t do well on work, you wear the same filthy clothes, and none of the other children want to be around you. What do you have to say for yourself?”_

_Huck still kept his head down and his mouth shut._

_“Well,” the older man sighed,” I’m going to have to call your parents”._

_With that, Huck looked up and raised an eyebrow questioningly at the teacher and said,” you ain’t livin’ in St. Petersburg, are you?”_

_Mr. Dobbins furrowed his brow and crossed his arms when he spoke,” no, I don’t. Why?”_

_“Anyone in town knows callin’ my pap ain’t gonna do nothing. Common knowledge my pap is a drunk”._

_“Then who on earth signs your school papers?” Mr. Dobbins asked, clearly getting frustrated at this point._

_Huck shrugged and jammed his fists in his pockets,” they usually go unsigned, but if I’m lucky Tom Sawyer’s Aunt Polly’ll sign em’ for me”._

_With a sigh and a scratch to the back of his neck, Mr. Dobbins gave Huck a look of sympathy,” if that’s the case I’m going to have to call the authorities”._

_Huck knew it was wrong and rude, but he scoffed and gave Mr. Dobbins a look that could burn like fire._

_“Now the school cares?” the boy spat,” I’ve come in to this damn school with bruises and black eyes and y’all didn’t care, all y’all ever did was tellin’ me not to be clumsy! No one gave a damn about the poor motherless son of the town drunk!”_

_The two were silent for a moment after the outburst, the tension in the air thickening and suffocating both of them. Mr. Dobbins looked anywhere but Huck’s eyes, as if he was embarrassed to meet the boys gaze. The teacher cleared his throat and spoke once more._

_“Go to lunch, Huckleberry,” he mumbled out,” I’ll see what I can do”._

* * *

 

Band class was in session, with Huck at the front on the piano and every other musician in their seats. Jim stood in front of the class, trying to quiet the kids before he explained what they would do for their concert. He had told Huck before so he could memorize the music that they would be doing classic songs from American pop culture, like “American Pie”, “Don’t Stop Believing”, and “Living on a Prayer”. It was then that Huck learned that Jim was a huge nerd for oldies rock music. Not typical for a band teacher, Huck thought.

“The concert is in three weeks,” Jim’s voice echoed throughout the room,” I’ve handed out the sheet music, and we will begin rehearsing tomorrow. Have a good rest of the day everyone”.

All the band kids began packing away their instruments and making their way towards the door. Tom Sawyer made his way up to the grand piano and sat down beside Huck, giving him a bright smile.

“You did good”, Tom said as he gave him a peck on the cheek, causing Huck to giggle and wrap his arms around Tom.

“Band feels good, Tom,” he beamed,” thank you”.

“You want to know something else that feels good?” Tom smirked and put his hands on his hips,” there is a LARP event this weekend at the park, Becky and Joe are going. You in?”

Huck thought for a moment, only to nod and grin back,” I’m in”.

Tom gave him one last kiss before he ran off to his next class, not wanting to be late yet again. Before Huck could organize sheet music and follow his classmates in action, Jim called him to his desk. Usually not a good sign for students, but Huck liked his new band director. He gave off a paternal warmth that Huck found comforting.

“You did very well today, kid,” Jim smiled at the boy, his eyes crinkling at the corners,” I’m very impressed with your playing

“Thank you, sir”, Huck hesitantly put out his hand for a handshake, since that’s what he’s known to be proper, but Jim shoved his hand away and him a hug to the side and wrapped an arm around his shoulder quickly. Huck froze for a moment, but accepted it nonetheless.

Huck was alone in the band room, packing up and organizing his music before heading off to history class, but stop in his actions when he heard someone stomp into the room and make their way towards him. Huck turned around, only to go rigid at the sight of Amelia Lawrence in all her glory. Her eyes, usually golden and fiery, gave him a glare so cold it was as if she froze his bones and made it impossible for him to run. Huck was cornered.

“It’s not your fault, you’re just an ignorant boy,” the girl said, venom in her words,” but you insist on flaunting Tom Sawyer in front of me as if I’m a dog on a chain”.

“I-I don’t know what you mean, honestly,” Huck swallowed his fears, but they still lingered,” I don’t get why you persist with this”.

Amy scoffed and crossed her arms,” I ain’t persisting shit, boy. I’m just pissed because Tom sawyer done me dirty and all he seems to be concerned with is you”.

“That’s not my fault!” Huck can’t remember the last time he stood up for himself, but his mind blazed with such anger that the words tumbled off his lips before he had time to think about it,” I get it, you’re mad, but I ain’t done nothing so leave me alone!”

Huck couldn’t say anything else because he froze. Amy Lawrence raised a hand on him and practically spat in his face. Before she could bring her fist down and punch him across the face, Huck let out a scream and dropped to the floor, curling up in a fetal position and yelling profanities that burned his throat.

For a split second, he saw his father.

Amy Lawrence looked down at him in shock as the realization of what she had done seemed to dawn on her. She backed away, hands in the air in an attempt to give the boy some space. Before she could even utter a word out, Tom Sawyer bounded back into the room and sprinted towards his partner. The russet haired boy knelt down beside Huck and pulled him in close, cradling the boy against his chest as he tried to say anything to calm him.

When Amy tried to speak up, Tom yelled profanities at her, his eyes colder than ice.

“Get outta here!” He screamed at her,” just get outta here!”

The girl only nodded as she made her way out of the room, leaving the two alone. Huck trembled and hyperventilated in Tom’s arms, clinging onto him as if letting go meant slipping away forever.

* * *

 

“You okay, Hucky?”

The two lay Huck’s bed together, they’re limbs tangled like wires. Once the school bell had rung and kids piled into the streets, Tom walked Huck to the Douglas household, keeping him close at all the times. The boys didn’t speak, just their breaths could be heard as Tom ran his hands up and down Huck’s back comfortingly.

Huck shook his head, his eyes still puffy from the incident in the band room. He tried to stop his heart from pounding out of his chest, or for his throat to stop feeling as if it was swelling up, but he failed. In his head, it was as if he always failed.

“I was getting better, Tom,” Huck whispered, his breaths shaky and uneven,” I haven’t heard his voice or dreamed his fists in a while. I really was getting better”.

“But Amy raising a hand at me…the look in her eyes looked just like him,” he began choking on his own words and slammed his eyes shut,” I saw him, I saw his face. I didn’t know what to do, Tom”.

Tom shifted his weight and held Huck’s head in the crook of his neck, letting him cry out anything he wanted to. Huck sobbed out everything, everything from his father to Amy Lawrence, even the nightmares and the voice.

“I’ve been waitin’ for a light to shine, Tom”, Huck whimpered, holding onto the other boy,” I thought I had it, I really did. I don’t want to relapse now. Not now!”

They were silent for a moment as Tom let Huck cry into his neck, holding onto him as if for dear life. Eventually Tom kissed the top of Huck’s dark brown strands and whispered sweet nothings into his hair, telling him everything to settle his breath. Huck kept his hand on Tom’s chest and matched his heartbeat to his, slow and calm.

“I’ll make your light shine,” Tom’s voice was barely above a whisper, but Huck heard it nonetheless,” I won’t let you fall again”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this wasn't that long, or that good either. I tried revising it multiple times, but in the end I think it's just a slower chapter so I'm not upset about it.  
> Also my favorite song from Big River (The Huck Finn Musical) is "Waitin' for the light to shine". It truly shows how lost and unwanted Huck feels in St. Petersburg, and I highly recommend it.


	14. LARP Day

The sun was barely peeking over the horizon, the light just shining through the trees. The sky was a mix of pink and purple hues like an oil painting. It was way too early for Huck to be awake on a weekend, so when Tom rose him early in the morning he was definitely not in the ideal mood. The bags under his eyes were dark and heavy, and his yawning came forth almost every minute. It was the perfect scenario for his friends to tease him.

“You good, sleepyhead?” Joe asked jokingly from the back seat of the car,” you look like you didn’t sleep last night”.

“No, I did,” Huck sleepily smiled back at his friend,” it’s just that normal people don’t get up at five in the morning”.

Tom chuckled from the driver seat,” you have to get up early for a LARP event, so you can get prepared”.

“A lot of work for being a nerd”.

“Those are fighting words, Finn”, and the friends shared a laugh together, hearty and warm. Huck thought it was nice and comforting.

“We have a lot to prepare before the event starts,” Becky spoke up from the seat next to Joe,” we have to get dressed, get our weapons ready-“

“You say that like we’re going to war”, Joe teased.

“-and find a good hide out so we don’t die right away, because we have a bad habit of always doing that”, the girl continued as if Joe had never said a word.

Huck nodded and slumped down in his seat, humming in contempt, “sounds fun, it really does”.

“It is,” Tom nodded along next to him,” and if I speed we can get there earlier so we can get there before everyone else”.

“Tom Sawyer”, Joe glared at him,” you just got your license and I’ll whip you if you lose it so early.

“Okay, Aunt Polly,” Tom laughed and turned to his boyfriend beside him, smiling.

“You excited?” he asked, his voice full of glee.

Huck nodded and couldn’t help but let out a giggle at the giddy boy,” yeah I am. I’m excited to do this with you”.

At that, Huck leaned over and kissed Tom on the cheek sweetly. It was a simple gesture, but Tom seemed to love it nonetheless.

The two could hear Joe pretending to gag in the back at them and making Becky laugh, to which Tom glared at them.

“Fight me, Harper! Wait till we’re on the battlefield!”

* * *

 

When Tom parked the car and hopped out, he surveyed the field and looked out among the dozens of others setting up before the event. Practically everyone was dressed in whimsical and medieval attire with a weapon at their side. To anyone else, it would’ve just seen like a bunch of nerds playing make-believe, but to Tom it was a dream come true, and he loved it. It was his chance to be Robin Hood.

Huck and Becky went off to the bathrooms to change into their gear, while Joe and Tom threw their shame away and just changed behind the car together. Their costumes weren’t elaborate, but Becky was a very talented seamstress and didn’t disappoint the boys. Tom wore a green shirt with a leather belt wrapped around his waist, one that matched his leather boots with brown pants tucked into them. Joe wore a beige like shirt with a patchy brown vest, with a belt and boots similar to Tom. They both knew kids from school would definitely give them hell if they ever saw them dressed up like this.

“How do I look, Joe?” Tom asked and gave a little twirl,” pretty dapper if I do say so myself”.

“You’re so full of yourself,” Joe rolled his eyes and laughed, right before saying,” can I ask you something, buddy?”

Tom was still looking at his reflection in the car’s window when he responded,” yeah, sure. What’s up?”

“How’s Huck been doing?”

They both stayed silent for a moment, and Tom just looked at Joe as he tried to find his words. Before Joe could apologize and retract his question, the other boy dismissed him with a wave of the hand and cleared his throat before beginning.

“He was doing good, he really was. Amy ruined it, though,” his voice was low, almost growling like.

Tom continued,” she almost swung at him in the band room, and he broke down. He was so shaken up, Joe, it made my heart stop when I heard him scream. And I wasn’t there. I wasn’t there to stop Amy from being the bitch that she is and to protect him. I wasn’t there, and when I was it was too late. He was shaking against me, crying stuff about his daddy. I feel like I failed him, that because I wasn’t there Amy wouldn’t’ve taken the chance to confront him,” he leaned against the rubbed his forehead,” I think I fucked up, Joe, and Huck had to pay for that”.

“You think that because you weren’t in the room it was your fault that Amy went after Huck?”

“Not even just that, I dated Amy. I led her on, and even though I knew how abusive and toxic she was towards me, I still stayed with her. And when I did dump her, I just left her. Never said anything to her. Maybe if I broke up with her formally, or not have even dated that bitch in the first place, this shit wouldn’t be happening- “

“No,” Joe was quick to cut him off,” no no no. You’re not about to start blaming yourself for all of this. None of this is your fault. Amy was a poisonous snake to you, she was awful. Even if in a way she still upset because she never got closure, it’s no excuse to beat on Huck, to beat on you. I know you hate calling yourself one, but you’re a victim”.

“I don’t feel like one, I just feel awful”.

Joe leaned against the car next to the russet boy and let Tom lay his head on his shoulder. Joe rubbed Tom’s shoulder and let his friend stay there for as long as he wanted.

“I’m sorry, Tom”, Joe sighed,” I don’t know how to help”.

“Don’t stress yourself on it, it ain’t worth it”.

“I’ll think of something, Tom”.

“Don’t do that, either. You’ll hurt yourself”.

Tom laughed at his own joke despite the tension in the air and Joe playfully slugged him in the shoulder.

“Tom Sawyer, you never fail to be a complete shithead”.

While they laughed together, Tom saw Huck and Becky heading towards them, all decked out in their fantasy gear. The sight of Huck practically took his breath away. A red shirt hugged his torso, showing off the weight he gained back from being back in St. Petersburg. Becky had sewn him an impressive green cloak that hung off his shoulders that swayed passed his leather boots, making him like a bit like Robin Hood (which Tom very much appreciated). To Tom, Huck looked absolutely beautiful.

Huck put a hand on his hip and gestured to his outfit with the other with a shy smile,” how do I look?”

“Dashing. Handsome. Beautiful. Gallant,” Tom said,” and any other synonym, too”.

“I can say the same about you,” Huck said right back, a blush adorning his cheeks.

Tom turned to Becky and smiled one of his prize-winning grins,” you ain’t looking so bad yourself. Give us a twirl”.

Becky’s lips turned up bashfully and spun around, her dress flowing around her feet. It was a white button up with a brown corset, adorned by a long navy-blue skirt that fell gracefully. Tom noticed how Joe couldn’t take his eyes off her, or how his face was as red as Huck’s shirt.

“You look…” Joe seemed to have trouble finding his words,” …awesome”.

Giving a little bow, she said back,” why thank you. You look rather dashing yourself, Joseph Harper”.

That was when the whistle blew, signaling the game had started. Huck looked at Tom with a confused face, but Tom disregarded it and immediately grabbed his wrist, bolting his way towards the woods with Joe and Becky right behind him.

“What’s going on!?” Huck asked, his breathing beginning to turn to panting.

“The game started!” Tom yelled back, and a playful yet mischievous grin painted itself on his lips,” and we’re trying not to die!”

* * *

 

Huck may have made fun of the nerdy game, but after a long day of running around and being chased by fake fantasy creatures, he had much more respect for the people who play. It was a lot of running that the boy was not used to at all.

They sat around the camp fire, talking idly amongst each other and a few other players. Huck recognized two of the boys as Billy Fisher and Johnny Miller, who were both flutists in their school band. They both were smaller than average and dressed up like elves, making Huck think they more looked like gnomes than anything. He had to hold his laughter back so he wouldn’t offend them.

“So, Taran,” Johnny spoke in a squeaky voice. At first, Huck completely forgot they were playing a giant game of make believe and that he had a different name.

“How many quests have you been on?” Johnny continued.

Huck scratched the back of his neck and shrugged,” none, this is my first time LARPing”.

“Bro, stay in character!” Billy Fisher snapped, sending Huck aback,” just because you’re new doesn’t mean you should cheat the game”.

“Lay off, Fisher,” Tom glared at him,” it’s not a big deal”.

Billy scoffed and slumped back in his chair,” says the guy who’s so uptight about ‘being by the book’. You wouldn’t even die when someone stabbed you when we played Robin Hood”.

“Because Robin Hood doesn’t die, it just doesn’t happen, but this game doesn’t have a story so it ain’t a big deal,” Tom shot right back.

That’s when they all heard a voice speak from behind them,” hey, hey. No need to argue”.

Huck turned to see the speaker and his jaw practically hit the ground. Dressed in armor in all his glory, stood the one and only band teacher, Jim. Every student will vouch that seeing a teacher outside of school is weird enough, but to see your band teacher in a full suit of leather gear was a whole other level. Everyone else wasn’t as shocked as Huck to see Jim, though. They actually seemed nonchalant about it, and just waved at him. Tom saw the look on Huck’s face and busted into belly laughs.

“Did we not tell you?” the russet boy laughed,” Jim helps out with the game. He LARPs”.

“…that would’ve been great to know,” Huck let out a shaky laugh and looked back at Jim,” how ya doin’?”

Jim smiled and shrugged,” pretty good, son. It was a good game today, and I hope y’all liked it”.

Every one of the kids nodded before he went off back to the other adults. Huck turned to his friends and gave them a lopsided grin.

“He’s probably one of the coolest adults I’ve ever met,” he admitted, and they all agreed.

Soon they all just sat by the fire, Johnny and Billy having left a little while ago. Tom laid his head on Huck’s shoulder, and his eyes began to sleepily drift off. The dark-haired boy giggled and kissed the top of his boyfriend’s hair.

“Are you going to be okay driving home?” Huck asked him, his fingers playing with Tom’s copper hair.

Tom yawned and nodded, which wasn’t at all convincing. Huck sighed and hugged Tom close, breathing in his scent and taking in as much as he could. He noticed Joe and Becky were in the same position, with Becky wrapping her arms around Joe. It was if they were in their own world, just as Huck and Tom were.

“Did you enjoy yourself?” Tom sleepily mumbled into Huck’s chest,” did you like it?”

“Yeah, yeah I did,” he leaned down once more and nuzzled his face into Tom’s hair,” thank you, Tom”.

“I’m glad”, Tom turned over so him and Huck were face to face before he wrapped his arms around his boyfriend and stuffed his face in the crook of his neck,” I love you”.

It was obvious Tom got more affectionate the sleepier he got, but Huck was not about to complain. Huck whispered an ‘I love you’ and rubbed his hands up and down Tom’s back.

Joe looked over at the two boys and rolled his eyes,” get a room, you guys”.

With that, Tom whipped his head up and gave his buddy the middle finger. Joe shot one more insult before Tom lunged at him, wrestling him on the ground before pinning Joe on the ground within minutes.

Tom grew what everyone would call a ‘shit-eating grin’ and remarked,” told you I’d fight you, Joe Harper”.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! How's your day been?  
> First and foremost, I wanted to thank all of you for being so kind and giving praise (and criticism, which I appreciate) to this story. It means so much to me, and sometimes I think I don't deserve such kindness. So thank you :)  
> Secondly, after this story finishes, I want to write more for sawyerberry (Huck and Tom). I have multiple ideas in mind (some of them actually go along with this story and will be a series if I go through with it), so even though I'll finish this story eventually, I'm not done with these boys.  
> Lastly, if anyone likes Big River, there is a Tom Sawyer musical that is also great! While Big River has much more beautiful deep music, his one is just fun and upbeat and makes me want to get up and dance (which I do lol). The link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzgWmapjIyI&t=2120s
> 
> (By the way Johnny and Billy are two boys Tom convinces to white wash his fence in the book)


	15. Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Huck and Tom go on a date

_It was the late hours of the night in St. Petersburg and only the cicadas and Mississippi river could be heard. Tom Sawyer had snuck out from his aunt’s house to meet Huck Finn at the river shore, bringing all sorts of treasures with him. Huck waited for him in his favorite hogshead barrel, almost drifting off into deep slumber before Tom tipped the barrel over on him._

_“Took ya long ‘nuff,” Huck sighed as he climbed out of his ragamuffin bed._

_“Sorry Hucky, Aunt Polly wouldn’t go to bed,” Tom let out an airy laughed and held up his old ruck sack,” I got the stuff, though”._

_Huck gave him a smile that Tom could only see the outline of in the dark. It was Huck’s idea to make a time capsule together. ‘In case anything sure does happen to me’, the boy said, and Tom didn’t know exactly what he meant. He wasn’t about to protest any of it, though._

_Huck didn’t have much, but what he did have was priceless to the both of them. He pulled from his pocket all sorts of treasures he had collected over the years and presented them to Tom. In total, Huck had Tom’s tooth (the one Aunt Polly had pulled), a ball of string, some marbles he stole from the school house, an old fishing hook, and a door knob Tom gave to him as a birthday present. Tom reckoned it was fit for a pirate’s treasure, but Huck bashfully said it was nothing compared to what Tom got; a whistle, a dagger his cousin Mary gave him, a busted-up copy of Robin Hood, and a torn-up page from Mr. Dobbin’s text book._

_“Now that’s a treasure, Tom,” Huck said in awe,” no wonder you’re so popular among the other boys!”_

_Tom blushed and waved him off,” awe shucks”._

_“Did you bring the box?”_

_“Sure did,” at that, Tom pulled out an old cigar box from the bottom of the rucksack,” stole it from Reverend Sprague”._

_“Didn’t know he was a smoker”._

_“Didn’t know you went to Sunday school all of a sudden”._

_Huck threw his hat at a laughing Tom and stuck a tongue out at him._

_“What is Sunday school like?” the brunette boy asked,” I don’t reckon I’ve ever asked ya”._

_Tom tapped a finger on his chin as if he was full of thought,” well, it’s like school, but worse since it’s on the weekend”._

_“You learn about the bible and such?”_

_“Yes, we do,” Tom felt a blush creep onto his face and he scratched the back of his neck,” ’cept I ain’t too good at it”._

_“I’m sure you ain’t that bad”._

_“They asked me who the first two disciples were, and I blurted out David and Goliath”._

_Huck didn’t see the problem with that, so Tom had to explain that David and Goliath weren’t disciples, and that they had a whole other biblical story of their own. Huck didn’t know much about the bible, besides the simple tellings of Jesus and such. He thought Tom was smarter in that sense, and in every sense. Everyone in town called Tom a stupid prankster, but Huck disagreed. He thought Tom might’ve been the smartest person on the entire east side of the Mississippi._

_“Alright then,” Tom smirked and opened the box,” you ready?”_

_The two began dumping all of their prized possessions into the box together, placing each one in with great delicacy. Tom went on and one about a pirate’s treasure buried treasure, and how if this would truly be a pirate’s treasure, they needed to sign something in blood to show that it belonged to them. Huck thought it was weird, but he wasn’t one to argue with Tom. After all, Tom knew more about pirate ways than he did._

_They used Huck’s old fishing hook to prick their fingers and smeared the blood on a scrap piece of paper Tom dug out of his pocket. They both recited a vow swearing that this treasure was theirs and theirs alone, and may misfortune come upon anyone who tries to steal it. Tom sealed the box shut and carved the initials T.S. and H.F. into the side._

_“Alright Hucky, where’s the hole at?”_

_Huck pointed at the small yet deep hole he had spent his night digging up with his hands under his favorite tree. They went to work burying the treasure chest and piling dirt on top of it. By the time it was almost three in the morning, the pirates treasure was hidden away with only two people to know its whereabouts._

_They were quiet for a moment, looking over their work fondly until Huck asked,” how will we find it?”_

_It seemed Tom had a plan for everything, because as soon as the question was asked he whipped out his pocket knife once more and began carving into the tree. At first it seemed like chicken scratch turned out to be a poorly carved ‘Hucky’._

_“Now we will find it easily,” Tom turned and smiled at his friend,” it’ll always be here for us”._

_“It’s a mighty fine job we did, Tom, and it’s all thanks to how smart you are that we pulled it off”._

_“Awe shuck, Huck, you don’t mean that-“_

_“You don’t give yourself enough credit, Tom,” Huck cut him off,” you really are the smartest boy in St. Petersburg, and maybe in the whole world”._

_With just the dim moonlight, Huck could see that Tom was now sporting a pink blush, but he brushed it off as just sleepiness getting the better of both of them. Tom Sawyer doesn’t blush, he thought, that’s a girl thing._

_“You going home now?” Huck asked him as he set up his hogshead barrel again._

_Tom shook his head,” she’ll catch me sneaking back in. Can I just sleep out here with you?”_

_“I ain’t got no objections”._

_They both climbed into the barrel together and lay side by side, just staring up at the wooden planks. Tom took off his jacket and lay it over the both of them as a substitute blanket, which Huck was very thankful for. They didn’t talk for a while, letting only their breaths be heard._

_Finally, Tom spoke up and said,” I care about you Huck, a whole lot”._

_“And I to you”._

_“I want you to know that wherever you go, I’ll follow and be by your side. I promise”._

_At that, Huck was feeling warm on the inside,” thank you, Tom”._

_A week later when social services took Huck away, Tom Sawyer couldn’t keep his promise._

* * *

 

Sunday church hadn’t been kind to Huck Finn. He still wasn’t used to the stiff starch dress clothes he was stuffed into, and was even less used to bending down and having his pants rip in front of the Becky Thatcher standing next to him. When it came time to eat crackers and drink wine (Huck thought it was nasty that they called it ‘the body of Christ’), he was so disgusted by the taste of the liquor he spat it all over the priest’s white robes. The entire church roared with laughter as Huck uttered out every single apology he could think up on the spot. The boy’s face was red with embarrassment while the old priests face was red with fury. Ironically enough, church was hell.

It was all worth it in the end, though, because after church he was going on a date with Tom Sawyer.

Since Huck’s experience in dating was little to none, he didn’t really know what was and wasn’t a date. If you told him that being in the same class as Tom classified as going out on a date, he would believe you. But Tom insisted on the two of them going on a proper date, one that Tom said girls wrote about in their journals. One that would make both of them happy.

Finally, it was after church, and Huck was sitting on the edge of his bed as Ms. Douglas dug through his closet. She was trying to help him find a nice outfit for his date, and so far, they both seemed clueless. While Ms. Douglas insisted no overalls, Huck countered with no stiff church wear. It made finding the right outfit hard for the both of them.

“Do you know where Tom is taking you?” the woman asked as she slung an outfit over her arm like a clothes rack.

Huck shrugged and pulled his legs in close,” I ain’t sure, he keeps telling me it’s a surprise”.

“How romantic,” Ms. Douglas teased and finished up her scavenge through her step sons closet,” alright, I have an option. How do you feel about sweaters?”

“I like ‘em enough”.

“Good,” she said and handed him a neatly folded outfit,” try this on then”.

From the looks of it, it looked simple enough; white colored shirt under a beige sweater with slim fit jeans. They looked nice on him too, like a regular teenager and not his typical ‘Scout Finch’ persona.

“I like it”, Huck smiled at himself in the mirror and twirled,” I like it a lot”.

It was a few minutes before Ms. Douglas spoke again,” alright, here’s the deal,”

Huck was all ears.

“If you promise me that you and Tom will be careful, I’ll let you take the Impala”.

The boy could hardly believe his ears. The bright red 1964 Chevy Impala that he had been drooling over since the moment he arrived in this house was his for the day, a whole day. It was practically a dream come true for Huck.

“I promise it will come back the way it left,” Huck assured her,” Tom’s a good driver, he won’t let nothing happen to it”.

“Alright then, you can take the car”.

A little bit had passed before Tom strode his way into the driveway where Huck was waiting. He wasn’t late, but Huck was s excited and antsy he wanted to wait early just in case.

“Hiya, darling,” Tom winked at him and gave a little bow. The boy was dressed in his typical button up and khakis, but this time his hair was tame and his shirt was tucked in. It looked like Tom really did try to dress to impress.

Huck stood up and kissed Tom on the nose,” hiya yourself,” and with a big ear-to-ear grin said,” Ms. Douglas is letting us use the Impala”.

Tom practically cheered with glee and called out praise to Ms. Douglas, calling her the best woman that has ever lived in this town.

“That’s right!” the woman called from inside the house, causing both boys to laugh.

“You ready?” Tom asked as they both got into the car,” I spent all last night planning today”.

“It doesn’t have to be extravagant”.

“’Extravagant’, nice word, Huck,” Tom said,” anyways, it ain’t big, just…nice”.

Both boys strapped themselves into the car, and Tom was eager to test out the Impala. Huck warned him if anything happened to it, both of them would be dead. Tom was lost in his own world when he drove off, though, only wanting to see how good of a car it really was. Huck thought it was cute to see Tom so excited about something, but not so cute when they almost started speeding. They rode in peace after that, side by side and hand in hand. It was a peace well deserved for the both of them.

* * *

 

It had been a long day for the boys, and both of them would agree. First it was a trip to the bookstore, Tom’s favorite place. It had become a tradition now for Tom to read to Huck, so they both wanted to pick out a so they could start a new one. It seemed Tom had read almost every single novel in the store, but the one he hadn’t read was the one Huck picked out; _The Catcher in the Rye_ by J.D. Salinger. Both were eager to read it as soon as possible, and decided the next time they were alone would be story time.

Then there was the diner Tom brought him to, the one that he insisted had the best cheeseburgers on the whole planet. Huck always knew Tom was a big eater, but never once has he ever seen a teenage boy engulf a meal meant for three people as if it was just an appetizer. It was a little gross he thought, but endearing as well. Still, having someone start picking at your food is more annoying than cute.

Now they sat together in the Impala, parked in the town field while a movie played on a screen ahead of them. Tom told him the town does this every month, and every time they play a different classic film that everyone has seen over a thousand times. This time they played the original Star Wars movie, and Tom was horrified to hear that Huck has never seen it.

“But it’s a classic!” Tom exclaimed,” it’s one of the best movies ever to be made!”

Huck shrugged and laughed,” I’ve always wanted to but I’ve never gotten the chance”.

The movie was playing, and Huck tried to pay attention but couldn’t get his eyes off of Tom. From the warm brown eyes fixated on Han Solo, to the freckles that splashed his skin, to the little russet curl that stuck out no matter how many times he brushed his hair, and to the one dimple on his cheek that Huck would poke when his boyfriend smiled. Tom Sawyer was mesmerizing.

Huck leaned over and fixed himself so that he sat on top of Tom and pressed his lips against his. They were soft, just as he remembered, and kissed them more than once. He trailed his lips down to Tom’s cheek, and then his jaw, and then his neck. Tom shivered under the touch and Huck pulled away.

“Is this okay?” he asked worriedly,” I don’t want to do anything you don’t like”.

“No, I’m fine”, Tom assured him and let out a shaky laugh,” I like it”.

Huck’s lips returned to his partners neck once more and sucked on it a bit, leaving a string of saliva in the process. He began pressing soft kisses to each and everyone of freckles until Tom was giggling up a storm.

“T-that tickles!” he managed to say before retaliating, digging his fingers into Huck’s belly. Huck immediately burst into childlike laughter as he swatted Tom’s hands away, begging for mercy.

Tom looked up at Huck in his lap and ran his hand through his dark brown hair. It had been growing since Ms. Douglas cut it a while back, and Tom didn’t know how someone could look so beautiful in any hairstyle.

Huck wrapped his arms around Tom and held him close, Tom doing the same. There was no space between them, nothing keeping them apart, just the two of them together. They both abandoned the idea of the movie and were only focused on each other.

“Tom,” Huck’s voice was hushed,” I used to wait for the social worker to tell me I was being moved to a new home, to a new family that would pretend I mattered to them. I spent my days miserable, and I thought maybe I’d be bounced from house to house until I was eighteen. But when I found out that my new foster home would be in St. Petersburg, I knew that this one just had to be permanent. I couldn’t go through losing you again, I had to stay here. I had to stay here with you. And with Joe and Becky and Ms. Douglas and Jim, I have to stay here with y’all. I couldn’t bear to leave anyone of ‘em, especially you”.

“I don’t care what God or fate has to say about it, you’re staying,” Tom said as he kissed Huck once more ,”you ain’t leaving me again, Huck Finn”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this while watching Tom Sawyer no Bouken (the Tom Sawyer anime) which is on amazon prime for anyone interested :)  
> Y'all deserved some fluff after all the angst I've put you through, so I hope y'all enjoy!


	16. Amy Lawrence's Reconciliation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Joe Harper!

Joe Harper wasn’t one to get into trouble, or to get into quarrels, but he did have a temper and sometimes it did get the better of him.

Band class was in session, with Jim at the front of the room directing the entire class. Normally, Joe would pay full attention and completely understanding the music he was teaching, but this time he was simply twirling his drum sticks and looking down at his bouncing knees. His mind was elsewhere.

The conversation he had with Tom Sawyer a few days before hadn’t left his mind since. It was as if it was weighing down on him like a dumbbell, and he couldn’t shake it. Joe looked back and forth from Tom and Amy, and then from Huck and Amy, but it all went back to Amy Lawrence. Joe would say she was pretty if he didn’t know her, in fact anyone would. She looked almost delicate like with her flute in hand and her dark hair flowing past her shoulders, but Joe associated her with nothing but malice. He had had his own personal horror stories with her, but the thought of Amy targeting Huck made his blood boil like a kettle.

Joe didn’t realize that class had ended until his classmates started shuffling past him with their instruments. He didn’t have much to pack up like everyone else, so he just shoved his drumsticks in his bag and made it over to the flute section with a plan in mind.

“Amy,” Joe called out to the brunette girl in the farthest chair,” come over here, I need to talk to you”.

Amy’s face fell along with her shoulders as she sat up and strode her way up to the boy. For once, Joe didn’t think her golden eyes were lion-like and intimidating. Instead, they looked dull and defeated.

“What do you want, Harper?” She huffed out and crossed her arms across her chest,” I have to get to class”.

“Alright, I’ll kept it short then,” Joe said with a furrowed brow,” cut your shit”.

“Excuse me?”

“You know what I said,” Joe rolled his eyes,” cut your shit and stay away from Huck”.

“Mind your own business, Harper”.

“Listen, Amy. I don’t know why you’re doing what you’re doing, but even you know it’s wrong. You’re hurting Huck, and you’re hurting Tom, and it needs to fucking stop”.

“Huck’s been through a lot,” he continued,” and he doesn’t need you to add to your baggage”.

Amy looked down as if she was entering her thoughts, or maybe she was trying to hide her crying, Joe couldn’t tell. Either way, he didn’t feel bad.

“Harper,” she finally said,” I saw how Huckleberry reacted when I last talked to him, and I didn’t realize ‘till then that I wasn’t the only one hurtin’”

“Don’t you dare compare Tom dumping you to what Huck has had to endure”.

“It still hurt!” Joe was taken aback by her sudden yelling,” maybe I did fuck up that relationship, but I still deserve him telling me face to face that it wasn’t going to work out, not just being ignored and then seeing him all up on Huckleberry Finn”.

“…and that gives you the right to hurt Huck, even though he had nothing to do with it?”

Amy stayed quiet.

“Look Amy, I get that you’re upset, I get that you feel disrespected, but that does not allow you to hurt an innocent boy. You’re old enough to know that”.

“Huck… he’s awesome,” Joe continued once more,” and he’s a sweet guy. You didn’t even know him, yet you went after him just out of jealousy. That’s low, that’s really fucking low”.

Joe didn’t give her the chance to respond or fight back, he just walked out of the band room and left her to wallow in his words. He wasn’t guilty about what he said, he was actually holding back from insulting her more, but he did what Becky would do; quit when you’ve just won.

* * *

 

“Hand me a soda, Becky,” Joe huffed out, exasperated.

Thatcher Manor was always a plus side to hanging out with Becky. Judge Thatcher was wealthy, and the gigantic house said just that. Becky didn’t brag about it though, which her friends appreciated.

Becky tossed him a Pepsi and sat next to him on the bed, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“How’d it go?” the girl asked,” with Amy, I mean”.

Joe shrugged and let out a sigh,” I got the point across”.

“I mean how did she react?”

“She kind of…just took it, actually,” he said,” she argued but didn’t fight back much”.

The girl raised an eyebrow and took a sip of her own soda,” that’s a new for her”.

“Yeah, I know”.

Becky looked at him with worried eyes, rubbing her hand up and down his back. She knew how Joe could have a temper, and was surprised the fight didn’t turn physical knowing the both of them.

“Can I ask you something, hun?” Joe turned to her and grabbed her hand,” Can I ask you what Amy Lawrence did to you?”

Her eyes glazed over like freshly cut glass as she looked out the window, as if she was looking for the answer that she already knew. Joe gave her a look that seemed like pity, but he retracted it when she began to speak.

“I was the new girl, and I had trouble making friends. Tom immediately took a liking to me, and even gave me a flower and did all these cool tricks to impress me. He was sweet, and he was my first friend. Not everyone was as kind, though. None of the other girls liked me, they were jealous of my family, I guess. Amy was the worst one, she was relentless. I always thought it was just fun and games, that they were just playing with the new kid, but Amy really didn’t like me. She called me names, pulled my hair, and ripped my clothes every chance she got. I didn’t tell anyone, I didn’t want to be a snitch, y’know?”

“It didn’t bother me much”, she continued,” ’till she cut off my ponytail”.

“Wait,” Joe interrupted her, startled,” is that when you had your short bob cut? I thought you got it done professionally”.

“I told people that so they wouldn’t make fun of me. I hated that hair, it wasn’t me”

The boys jaw fell ajar as he stared at Becky in disbelief,” geez…if I knew that I would’ve done more than just yell at her”.

“Don’t,” her voice was mumble like,” fighting doesn’t solve anything”.

“Becky, promise me you won’t let her get you down,” Joe’s said just above a whisper,” don’t let what happen send you down a spiral”.

“I promise. I’m stronger now,” she said as she held Joe’s hand,” I’m a lot stronger now”.

* * *

 

Though the sun was setting behind the trees and the sky was growing dark, Huck and Tom continued to strode their way down the sidewalk, hand in hand. It was simple idle chatter, even thigh it wasn’t needed. They only needed each other to fill the space, but whispering sweet nothings to each other did no harm.

“Did you hear about Joe and Amy?” Tom asked the other boy.

Huck nodded and looked down at his walking feet,” yeah, I feel bad that he had to do that for me”.

“Don’t stress, Joe wanted to do it, he cares a hell of a lot”.

“Yeah, but he shouldn’t have to put himself in harms way for me,” Huck couldn’t help but choke on his own words,” i-it ain’t right”.

“I’ll tell you what ain’t right”, Tom turned and placed his hands on Huck’s shoulders,” bullying ain’t right, that’s what ain’t right”.

“Besides,” Tom continued,” if Joe didn’t say anything I was going to”.

“Don’t put yourself in a fight for me”.

Tom gave him one of his award-winning smiles,” I’m your knight in shining armor, I have to defend your honor”.

Huck pretended to be a damsel and put his hand to his chest,” oh, Sir Thomas, what an honor it is to be by your side”.

They both laughed together until their bellies hurt and their ribs ached. Huck recalled not being able to laugh much before, but now it was different. Now he was able to giggle his heart out and he wasn’t afraid.

That’s when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He assumed it was Joe or Becky or Ms. Douglas, but it wasn’t a text or voicemail; it was an email. He didn’t recognize the sender at first, until he read the persons email:

 **From:** [amelialawrence452@stpetersburghigh.com](mailto:amelialawrence452@gmail.com)

“Tom,” Huck’s voice was mumble like,” Amy emailed me”.

“I swear to god if she’s trying to pull some shit I’m gonna to- “

“Hold on,” the boy cut him off,” let me read it”.

**From:[amelialawrence452@stpetersburghigh.com](mailto:amelialawrence452@gmail.com)**

**To:[hfinn75@stpetersburghigh.com](mailto:hfinn75@gmail.com)**

**Subject: none**

**Hey, Huckleberry.**

**I know I’m not the person you want to hear from. I know I fucked up, and I didn’t mean to cause that much trouble. I was just angry and hurt, but in the end, I guess there’s no excuse.**

**I don’t know what happened to you, but it’s also none of my business so I won’t press. But I do know that I was making life difficult for you when it was already hard. I don’t know if me saying I’m sorry will do anything, but I am sorry.**

**Joe made me really think, and seeing you all vulnerable made me realize that I ain’t the only one hurting. You don’t deserve me hounding on you or anything.**

**I hurt Tom, and in return, he hurt me. I made myself out to be a victim, but in the end the only person that was hurting me was myself. I can’t blame Tom for that, I can’t blame you for that, nor Joe and Becky.**

**So, to sum it up, I’ll leave you alone. You don’t have to forgive me, but I am sorry**

**Sincerely yours, Amy**

Huck looked over at Tom who had been reading over his shoulder. They both exchanged a surprised look before looking back at the phone and then at each other once more.

“Wow,” was all Tom could say.

“Maybe…maybe I was over reacting,” Huck finally said,” maybe I was just vulnerable when she tried to hit me, and that’s why- “

“You can’t control what your triggers are,” Tom cut him off.

“But maybe if I was stronger it wouldn’t have been a big deal”.

“You’re stronger than everyone I know. Most people would’ve given up at this point. Showing weakness doesn’t mean you ain’t strong, it means your human. Your perseverance and your kindness, that’s what makes you strong”.

Tom wrapped an arm around Huck’s shoulder and pulled him in close, kissing the top of his head and whispering reassurances. Huck ghosted his thumbs over the phones screen as he contemplated his next move.

“Should I email her back?” Huck asked him,” would that be appropriate?”

“It’s whatever you want, if you want to forgive her or not”.

Huck nodded and clicked ‘New Email’.

**From:[hfinn75@stpetersburghigh.com](mailto:hfinn75@gmail.com)**

**To:[amelialawrence452@stpetersburghigh.com](mailto:amelialawrence452@gmail.com)**

**Subject: none**

  ***thumbs up* :-)**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually like Amy Lawrence as a character in Twain's book, and I feel bad that Tom dumped her for another girl. I also kinda feel bad for making her the antagonist, but we don't know much about her so she was the easiest to make a bully.  
> Also, I'm currently planning out another sawyerberry fanfiction! Most of you know that its in their regular 1800 setting, and the drafting is almost complete! :)


	17. Shinin'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The band concert

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this was a bit late, I've been extremely busy lately :( but here it is!  
> In case anyone is confused about the songs Huck is singing, they are the ones the band is playing; American Pie, Dont stop believin, and livin' on a prayer

Usually being stuffed in stiff fancy clothes would make Huck shudder with disgust, but looking at himself in his new band uniform made him think otherwise. It wasn’t anything like the ugly church clothes he despised, but it was extravagant like; with white pants and a green button up with a treble clef and piano keys on the sleeve, along with the name ‘Huckleberry Finn’ sewn in on the breast. It helped that Ms. Douglas trimmed his hair up a bit and tucked his shirt in for him, making him look extra lavish. It wasn’t the first time Huck had seen himself all fancied up before, but it was the first time it was something he was excited for; his very first band concert.

Ms. Douglas stood with him in his bed room as she helped him finish up the last bits of his look. The mother part in her wanted to lick her finger and wipe the smudge off his cheek, but she held herself back and had Huck wipe it off himself.

“Huck,” the woman said,” I should tell you tell you that my sister is coming to watch the show all the way from St. Louis”.

“I can’t recall you ever mentioning that you have a sister”.

“She’s hard to get along with, and she can be quite judgmental, but you’ll just have to deal with her tonight and on holidays,” Ms. Douglas smiled a convincing grin his way.

Huck felt himself smiling and tearing up at the mention of the holidays. He never had a real Christmas before, nor did anyone want to keep him around long enough to give him one. The closet thing to Christmas he got to experience was Tom giving him a baseball and a slice of his Aunt Polly’s famous fruit cake every year.

“I want to tell you I’m proud of you, sweetheart,” Ms. Douglas said as sweet as sugar, reminding him of Becky,” you’ve progressed so much”.

The boy wanted to say more, but all he could think of was a bashful,” thank you”, and a slight bow of the head for politeness.

“No need to be bashful, Huck, it’s the truth. Throughout the months you’ve been here you’ve grown into quite the strong young man”.

“I can’t take all the credit, it’s thanks to you and everyone else,” Huck looked up at her and gave her a toothy grin,” I wouldn’t have come far without everyone’s help”.

“Still, I want you to be proud of yourself”.

“I am, Miss,” he said all sheepishly,” it’s the first time I’ve ever been proud of myself. Ever”.

When Huck looked at Ms. Douglas, the maternal glow in her eyes grew brighter and brighter with each day he lived there. He had come to accept that no one can replace his mother, no matter how hard he tried, but it didn’t mean no one could love him like a son. Love him like their very own. Thinking on it now, Huck was very proud to give that title to Ms. Douglas.

“Alright then,” Ms. Douglas drew Huck from his thoughts with her words,” get your shoes on and get in the Impala. We can’t have you being late to your very first concert”.

* * *

 

Despite the dark hours of the night, the school was all lit up with lights and people bustling around the parking lot. Multiple parents talking amongst themselves and kids carrying instruments inside the building, specifically Johnny Miller, Billy Fisher, and Amy Lawrence holding their flutes and helping the percussions lug in the drum sets. Jim could be seen at the school doors greeting the adults coming to see the show with his southern hospitality. Quite a night, Huck thought.

Ms. Douglas tapped the boy on the shoulder and pointed towards a woman by the door. She looked older than Ms. Douglas by about a decade, and wore a stiff collared dress buttoned up all the way to her neck. Huck wondered how she could even breathe in that thing.

“That’s my older sister,” Ms. Douglas said,” call her Ms. Watson, she’d be angry if you called her anything else”.

The woman called Ms. Watson noticed her sister and made her way over to the two. Huck watched the siblings’ reunion in curiosity, and wondered how two sisters could act so proper around each other. Huck always thought siblings were playful, like how Tom teased Sid all the time. Maybe it changed with age, he decided.

“So, you must be the famous Huckleberry Finn,” Ms. Watson spoke in nasally voice. Up close she looked older, as if she was around sixty instead of forty like her sister. Her glasses were pushed all the way against her face, leaving red marks from the nose pads and making her eyebrows disappear behind the frames. She was too orderly for Huck’s liking.

“Yes ma’am, that’s me,” Huck gave her a little tip of his hat to try and give off a gentleman like persona,” it’s a pleasure to meet you Ms. Watson”.

Ms. Watson reached out and tugged at Huck’s hair, grimacing in the process.

“Sister, you told me over the phone that you cut this boy’s hair”.

“I did”.

“Well, it’s too shaggy and messy. This is no way for a boy to look,” she gave Huck a look that made his blood boil,” then again, what did I expect?”

Before Huck was able to go off on the older woman, Ms. Douglas put a hand on his shoulders and halted his forming outburst.

“Let’s just go inside and find a seat. Huck, go on and set up for the concert,” Ms. Douglas gave him one last sunny smile,” I’m so excited to see you play”.

With that, Huck made his way towards the band room and looked up and down until he found his friends. They were doing what everyone else in the band was doing, which was making sure their instruments worked properly. Becky was fixing her reeds, Tom was oiling his trumpet, and Joe was practicing his piece off by the side. Tom was the first to notice, and it didn’t take long for him to run over to Huck and wrap his arms around him, picking up the boy and spinning him in the process. Huck couldn’t help but notice how handsome Tom looked in the band uniform, and how it fit him nicely and showed off his form. It was only when Becky started talking to him that he stopped staring at Tom’s body.

“I saw mean old Ms. Watson in the parking lot,” she said to him,” how did that go?”

Huck looked at her with confused eyes,” you know her?”

“She used to live here a few years ago before moving to St. Louis, and every kid in town hated her. She was wicked, I tell you, constantly nagging us and telling us what to do”.

“Yeah, she seems like a grouch,” Huck rolled his eyes,” but I’m just ignoring her and dealing with it”.

Becky gave him one of her famous honey like smiles,” that makes me really happy. I’m proud of you”.

“What do you mean?”

“Well Huck – stop me if I’m over stepping my boundaries – but you really weren’t in a good place when you first got here. You got all anxious when someone talked to you, let alone be mean to you. Now, you’re able to shrug off a hag like Ms. Watson, and you’re able to talk to Joe and I and be comfortable about it. That’s absolutely incredible, and I’m so glad to see you grow so much”.

She brought Huck into a hug, which he happily accepted with open arms. It was the first time he was fully comfortable with hugging both Joe or Becky. His heart didn’t race nor his mind, all it did was warm and cause the lips to upturn into a smile.

“Thank you, Becky,” the boy said, tears of joy glossing over his eyes.

“Anytime,” she said and hugged him one last time.

 “Now c’mon, we should start to get ready,” Becky led Huck over to their friends,” it’s your first concert after all”.

* * *

 

Huck looked out into the sea of people and had to grab onto the piano to keep himself from fainting. The entire auditorium was filled to the brim with parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles. All eyes seemed to be on him, causing Huck to feel light headed. The boy felt as if he might collapse until Jim gave him a thumbs up from center stage. It was the encouragement that got Huck to sit down perfectly fine without falling right there in front of everyone.

Jim, in all his band director glory, stood in front of the audience and introduced himself and the band. Tom was mouthing reassurances from across the stage to try and help Huck overcome his stage fright, and made a heart with his hands. Huck smiled sweetly back at him and did the same. At that, his heart started to slow and finally beat at a normal pace.

Before Jim announced the start, Huck mouthed the words ‘I love you’ to Tom, to which Tom blew a kiss right back at him. It was just the right encouragement for the both of them.

The music had started, and Huck’s fingers danced over the keys as if it was second nature. He could feel the notes circle around him as if they could pick him up and carry him over the other musician. Huck was in his own world, and it was as if the world was melting around him.

He looked back at Tom blowing into his trumpet, and felt his heart warm in bliss. The way his boyfriend looked so happy performing, it made Huck so proud. He thought about the years they have spent together, and how he always loved Tom. No matter what kind of love it was, it was always that. He always wanted to wrap his arms around the other boy for as long as he remembered and stay with him forever, and now it was possible. Now it was possible to openly love Tom and not be afraid for the two of them being judged. Now he could really tell him he loved him, now he could be happy with him.

“Bye, bye, Miss American Pie,” Huck sang under his breath along to the song,” drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry”.

Huck’s eyes wandered to wear Becky sat, swaying her hips back and forth as she played the tune on her clarinet. She looked beautiful and peaceful as always. Through out the years of being bounced from foster home to foster home, he could never call any of the girls a friend, let alone a sister. But with Becky, he found himself trusting her. He found himself wanting to talk to her more and more each day, wanting to hang out with her if he had the chance. It was no different with Joe, who was in the back of the stage rocking it out on the drums. He’s never called someone a brother, nor wanted to, but it was as if St. Petersburg changed his mentality since he’s been back. Huck wanted to hang out with Joe, he wanted to talk to Becky. They’ve helped him, and he was willing to do just the same to them.

“A singer in a smoking room, the smell of wine and cheap perfume. For a smile they can share the night, it goes on and on and on and on”.

He saw Jim composing the band, his arms bouncing up and down and directing the music. Even the smile he had was fatherly and gave off a paternal warmth. The deep fear and hatred Huck had for his own father caused his trust in adults to diminish to almost nothing, but Jim seemed different. Huck could talk to him, he could vent and talk to him as if he was a friend, and it would be absolutely normal. The man would go out of his way to make sure Huck was okay, as well as his friends. Huck thought he wouldn’t be able to trust adults ever again, but Jim was able to prove him wrong.

“Woah, we're half way there. Woah, livin' on a prayer. Take my hand, we'll make it I swear. Woah, livin' on a prayer”.

At last, his eyes met Ms. Douglas’s icy blue ones in the audience. She was giving him a thumbs up and a big smile as always, to which Huck simply smiled back at her. When he first came back to St. Petersburg, he was scared of her. He was scared of everyone. Now, he trusted the woman as if he was her own son, as if she was his own mother. She’ll never be a replacement to his own mother, the one that loved him more than anything in the world, but he knows she’ll always be there to support him like he was her own. She’ll always be there.

Huck realized that for once in his life, opportunities were open to him. The skies were wide enough with endless choices for him. Before, he was nothing. Just a simple foster kid who had a panic attack with every conflict. Not any more, though. Finally, the skies were wide and open for him to be truly happy

To him, it seemed the concert ended as soon as it started, and the entire auditorium burst in applause. People were whistling and throwing roses at the sage as if the performance was the best thing they have ever laid their eyes on. Huck couldn’t remember if he was supposed to stay still or not, but even if he was supposed to he wasn’t going to. The boy ran up to Tom and wrapped his arms around him with no intention of letting go. Soon, Joe and Becky joined them, and the four friends stood there in their hug as Huck sobbed out tears of pure joy.

“I’m so happy,” Huck cried out.

Tom wiped a tear away with the pad of his thumb and kissed him,” I know”.

Everyone had begun to pile into the hallways for the meet and greets so parents could congratulate their kids. Before the show, Huck was dreading to see Ms. Watson, expecting her to criticize the entire concert.  Except now, all he wanted to do was see Ms. Douglas.

At the sight of his foster mother’s blond hair and beauty marks, it took Huck less than a second to dash over to her and engulf her in a hug. They seemed to have been thinking the same thing, because Ms. Douglas gripped onto him and kissed his cheek. It was the first time they had ever hugged, and now Huck didn’t care if the setting around him disappeared, as long as he was with her.

“I’m so proud of you, Huck,” Ms. Douglas cheered and pecked his cheek once more,” you were amazing!”.

Huck nodded and gripped onto her even tighter, letting his blissful tears fall onto her shoulder. Ms. Douglas didn’t care, she let him stay there for as long as he wanted and more.

For the first time in his life, Huckleberry Finn felt safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started to tear up while writing this because this is technically the last chapter, and I've had such an amazing time wrting this story and talking to all of you.  
> HOWEVER, I will be writing an epilogue so there is more!


	18. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone confused, the song they are singing is "Can't help falling in love" by Elvis Presley

Lots of snow tended to be a rare sight for Missourians. The most they ever got the chance to witness was scattered flurries and frosted grass, and maybe a few inches. So, when Huck woke up to see the ground coated in a thick sheet of white with more being added to it, he was more than shocked, and even more shocked to see Tom’s beat up pick up truck pull into the driveway.

Huck raced downstairs to meet the other boy and saw that Tom had already let himself in. Snowflakes were stuck in his russet curls and clothes. Huck noticed that Tom’s nose was a bright pink just like his cheeks and that his knees were shivering like mad. What really caught his eye, though, was the old cigar box that Tom held close to his chest

“Holy shit, it’s freezing out there!” Tom exclaimed as he tried to warm up his hand with his breath,” could you make some hot chocolate, Hucky?”

“Yeah, of course,” Huck said as he headed into the kitchen,” were you out in the snow or something?”

“For almost an hour, yeah”.

With an astonished look, Huck said, “Tom Sawyer, are you trying to get frostbite?”

Huck brought Tom the steaming beverage and watched the snow in his boyfriend’s hair melt away as well as the pink tinge on the tip of his nose. Huck thought it made him look like Rudolph.

Tom took a long gulp before placing the cigar box he held close to his being on the table. It was clearly old and wet, with specks of moss stuck to the sides. Though it was faded and weathered, Huck could make out the markings H.F. and T.S carved into the side.

“Tom,” Huck’s eyes widened and his mouth fell ajar,” is that what I think it is?”

“Sure is!” the other boy stated proudly,” it’s the time capsule!”

“It took me forever to find that damn tree,” Tom continued,” but I finally found the right one. I probably should’ve picked a bigger tree to carve your name in, huh? Well, anyways, I thought this could be an early Christmas present for you”.

Huck could feel prick at his eyes as well as the corners of his mouth turn upwards into a smile. He held the good parts of his childhood close to his heart, especially the ones with Tom.

Tom cracked open the box and dumped all of the treasure onto the table, assuring Huck that they could clean up after. It still had everything the two boys remembered; Huck’s fishing hook, a door knob, a torn page from Mr. Dobbins medical book (now soaked and blotched), the old copy of Robin Hood (also soaked and blotched), and even Tom’s old tooth that he had given Huck so many years ago.

“This stuff seemed more impressive when we were younger,” Tom remarked and ran a hand through his russet hair,” I mean, we were impressed with my baby tooth?”

Huck picked up the tooth and twirled it in his fingers,” we have some cool stuff in here, like your cousin Mary’s dagger”.

“I don’t know what she was thinking giving me something sharp like that. I nearly killed Joe when we was playing Robin Hood”.

“Maybe that was you being careless”.

“Maybe,” Tom smiled and poked Huck’s ribs,” or maybe you shouldn’t give knives to nine year olds”.

“Fair enough”.

Huck went to go grab some Christmas cookies for the two of them, ones that he and Ms. Douglas had made the previous night, only to come back to see Tom’s eyes shining like newly cut glass. When tom noticed Huck’s presence, he quickly blinked away any forming tears and gave him a big smile.

“What’s wrong?” Huck asked and stepped closer to the other boy.

“Nothings wrong,” Tom looked over at cigar box and all of it’s entrails and gave a small grin,” it just that, we were so young and naïve then. I thought I would never lose you, Huck”.

“For four long years, I wasn’t truly happy. I was missing something,” Tom reached out and grabbed Huck’s hands and nuzzled them against his face,” something important”.

“I felt the same way,” Huck’s voice was soft and sweet as he caressed Tom’s cheek.

“When Aunt Polly told me Ms. Douglas had taken in Huckleberry Finn…I felt as a tight fist that had been gripping my heart for the last four years had let go. Not a day went by that I didn’t pray for you to come back to me, not a day went by that I didn’t wish for you to come back. You were my best friend, and what I feel now is so much more than that. Words can’t even describe it, Huck”.

Huck wrapped his arms around Tom’s waist and brought their foreheads together,” an ‘I love you’ doesn’t do justice, Tom”.

“It doesn’t, but I’ll scream it to the rooftops”.

“Wise men say,” Tom began to sing to him, his voice soft as he swayed on his feet,” only fools rush in, but I can’t help falling in love with you”.

Huck cupped Tom’s face in his hands and let the lyrics he sang do the rest.

“Shall I stay?” Huck sang sweetly,” would it be a sin? If I can’t help falling in love with you?”

The two brought their lips together and pulled each other close, taking in as much as they could. As their lips met, so did their voices.

“Take my hand,

Take my whole life, too.

For I can’t help

Falling in love with you”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started to tear up while writing this. I worked so hard on writing this entire thing and I can't help but be proud of this story.  
> I want to extend a huge thank you to each and everyone who read this story, and everyone who has been kind enough to leave a comment. This entire experience has just been absolutely amazing thanks to all of you.  
> Huck and Tom have always helped me, and they did it again through this story <3  
> I won't stop writing sawyerberry. Most know I already have another one in the making, but even after that I don't plan on leaving these boys. They deserve much more recognition than they get.  
> Thank you all from the bottom of my heart :) 
> 
> "The end. Yours truly, Huck Finn".

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is a new Tom/Huck fanfiction because frankly I love Mark Twain and will go down with sawyerberry. Besides, there is hardly any work for these two, and there deserves to be more!  
> I wrote an entire draft for this work, so I have no reason to go on hiatus.  
> I hope you enjoy, and have a wonderful day!


End file.
